#he’s alive and happy with his friends in the safe haven right now :))))

[dont-let-me-eat-pears]

Newt | Peeta

#the hunger games #the maze runner #peeta #newt #tmr newt #everlark #katniss x peeta #newtmas #thomas x newt #mockingjay #thg #tmr #catching fire #the death cure #the scorch trials #katniss #thgedit #tmredit #parallels #my gifs #it was inevitable that i’d eventually make a gifset of my two current favorite blond boys #my loves #btw bottom row is totally a parallel bc newt comes back cured in the end okay :)))) #he’s alive and happy with his friends in the safe haven right now :))))

[spacebarbarianweird]

The Scorching Sun

My desperate attempt to redeem the ending scene

Astarion is running away from the sunlight once the tadpole is gone, and Tav is nowhere to be seen.

Tags: hurt/comfort

Read on AO3

Masterlist

Headcanons

The excruciating pain pierces Astarion as his skin starts burning.

The sun's searing rays cause agony from which there is no respite. The tadpole's grip finally releases him. Still, as it does, it leaves behind a gaping void, one filled with a mind that races with panic and anxiety, amplifying the horrors that lie ahead.

Astarion is scared. He has never felt so frightened in his life. Not when he awoke in his coffin two centuries ago, dying of hunger and pain. Not when Cazador put him through horrors and torments. Not when he was sealed in the tomb for an entire year. Not when he thought Tav was dying.

Because now he is burning alive.

Astarion desperately looks at his companions seeking support, but instead, he sees disgust on their faces as if without tadpoles they suddenly realize Astarion is a vampire.

He hears a chuckle, probably from Gale, that "Now our friend has to return to shadows" and another voice, "Seems like we won't see him again soon."

Once trusted friends now cruelly mock him, their laughter an eerie cacophony that reverberates in the depths of Astarion's consciousness. Each word stabs his undead heart.

You are nowhere to be seen. You are absent when he needs you the most.

Astarion runs toward the huge crates at the pier, which cast a comforting shadow. Astarion stumbles – he can't see anything; the sun has burnt his eyes. By touch, he finally gets to the shadows, curls up in the corner, and presses his legs to the chest.

Eyesight finally recovers. Astarion hears distant voices – someone laughs, someone cheers. He is jealous. Why can't he be there, with them, in the sunlight? Didn't he suffer too much? Didn't he fight the Brain with the rest? Why, why?

Tears stream down his cheeks. Tears of pain, tears of desperation, resentment, injustice.

Betrayal.

As the sun slowly rises, a merciful shadow retreats, and a harsh ray of light burns Astarion's right leg. The once-safe haven has become dangerous, and despair compels Astarion to seek refuge in the nearest house. The sun continues to scorch him, subjecting him to wave after wave of searing pain.

However, an invisible barrier obstructs his path, granting entry only upon invitation, offering no respite for the vampire. Astarion is left to writhe in the agony of the daylight.

He must go to the Inn. The vampire's invitation is forever, but the city lies in ruins, with only fleeting shadows left. Baldurians cheer, praising the gods for saving them from unimaginable horrors. Amidst the joy and light, Astarion feels like crying, for he knows he doesn't belong here. Life, light, and happiness are not for him; he remains a creature of the night, a monster. His foolish hope for anything else has faded away.

At last, he reaches the Inn. Astarion pushes the door open and collapses on his knees, palms pressed into the wooden floor. The pain clings to his body like acid sweat. The tavern is empty, and Astarion manages to stumble upstairs, each step feeling like an eternity. Even the cruelest tortures in Cazador's mansion did not leave him feeling so helpless and weak.

Finally, he crawls into the room he once shared with you and collapses onto the bed. The dark room envelops Astarion like a lover, providing a shred of safety. The echoes of his former companions' laughter still torment the vampire like cruel ghosts from the past.

In desperation, Astarion questions if he heard your voice. Were your promises of love empty words? Could you no longer want him, and the tadpole was the sole reason for your affection? These tormenting thoughts whirl in his mind, threatening to drown him as hunger and pain draw him closer to the abyss.

The hunger is insatiable, gut-wrenching. The tadpole had once dulled it like a medicine. Now, it is back, threatening to turn Astarion into a feral, mindless monster.

Astarion clenches his fingers, trying to grasp the reality: he is alive, his master is dead, and he is free. But it all means nothing.

Hours pass, and Astarion attempts to enter a trance to escape the agony, but his sunburnt body refuses to cooperate. He longs for respite, for a brief escape from reality, but the pain and dark thoughts overwhelm him.

Yes, he did hear your voice in that laughter, and he envisions an evil grin on your face. Perhaps you despise him and have moved on to someone else. Silent tears stream down his face, bearing witness to the profound betrayal he feels from those he once trusted and loved and to the unending nightmare of his existence.

Then, he hears footsteps. The door swings open.

"Astarion! I should have known you were heading here," you exclaim as you sit on the bed and take his hand.

Astarion looks at you in disbelief. Your face, your voice, your scent. You are back. He wants to grab you, to press his face against your collarbone. But he is so weak he can't move.

"Does it hurt?" you ask. Astarion nods, and you press your lips to his knuckles.

"I'm so sorry. I fainted when the tadpole was removed. When I woke up, they told me you had run away, and I've been trying to find you ever since. Hey, look at me," you gently caress his cheek. "I am here. I'm not going anywhere."

Astarion finally manages to look into your eyes. He sees the same love, care, kind smile, hope, and support he thought he had lost.

"I thought… I thought you were never coming back," he whispers.

"Well, if you had run even further, I would have lost you forever," you say.

The tears prickle his eyes once again. How could he have ever doubted you? What kind of person was he to assume that his lover would betray him?

"You didn't answer if it hurts."

"Like a hellplane," he replies.

"I am so sorry. I truly am."

Astarion finally manages to lift his hands and he presses you against his chest. You roll over and lie beside him, putting your head on his shoulder, and he wraps his right hand around you as you place your hand on his stomach.

There are so many things he wants to say to you but simply can't.

"What are we going to do next?" you ask.

He shrugs. "I don't know. What do you want?"

"Anything that doesn't involve staying in this city. We could settle somewhere…"

"It would be tediously boring," Astarion interjects.

"Agreed. We'll always have time for that. Maybe we should go to the Underdark to help other spawns."

He strokes your hair. "I'm not taking a living person to a den of seven thousand vampires, that's for sure."

Astarion presses you tighter, wanting to feel your heartbeat. Then, a realization washes over him: he is no longer in pain. His skin doesn't burn, and his muscles aren't being torn apart. Your presence alone alleviates his suffering. He kisses your forehead and responds with a smile.

"What do you think about getting away? Traveling with me and seeing the world?" you finally propose.

"Darling, I thought you'd never suggest it. I'm sick of this place."

"And we can find a cure for you. There are probably ways to allow you to walk in the sun or even reverse your vampirism. This world is full of cruel wonders, so why not give it a try?"

He nods and gazes at your face as if trying to memorize every little detail.

"I'm not going anywhere, Astarion," you smile. "Stop looking at me as if I'm going to disappear." You sit up and ask, "Can I kiss you?"

"Only if you promise me something," Astarion counters.

"What is it?"

"Stop asking for permission to touch or kiss me."

"You sure?" you hesitate.

"Yes. Stop treating me as if I'm made of glass. It's you. Your touches can never be unwelcome."

You giggle and kiss him. At that moment, you are the two happiest people in the world.

**

You both lay in each other's arms until sunset. When night falls, you leave the city walls and enter the wilderness. You continue forward, holding hands as if afraid to lose each other. Astarion's undead heart rejoices. He has everything a man needs.

Freedom.

A woman he loves, who loves him in return.

A future.

He would be a fool to exchange all this for false promises of power.

Suddenly, you stop, wrap your hands around his neck, and press your lips against his. Then, you proceed to kiss his cheeks, his forehead, and everything you can reach while standing on the ground.

He flinches for a second but then hugs you back and tightens his grip.

"Never ask for permission," he whispers into your ear. "You are always invited."

#astarion #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 astarion #astarion bg3 #astarion romance #astarion fic #astarion x reader #astarion x female reader #astarion fics #astarion ending #astarion ancunin #astarion fanfic #astarion fanfiction #spacebarbarian fics

[petrichor-idyllic]

hey dude, it’s good to finally find someone who does tmr male!readers agshdhs

please could I request a Newt x male!reader fic/some headcanons, set after death cure with the alternate ending where he’s okay? Him and the reader were in the glade together and have been inseparable since. But in that time they’ve had An Unspoken Thing between them and getting settled in the Safe Haven made them finally feel comfortable enough to fess up their feelings for each other (I’m a massive sucker for mlm slow burn and mutual pining,,,)

don’t feel pressured to take this on btw! just thought I’d shoot my shot, and I hope all is well with you x

Yanno it's actually kinda mad that this isn't the first time that someone has said they struggle to find TMR writers who write for mlm relationships. Yanno, since there are literally only two women in the main group for the entire franchise.

And James Dashner has only ever confirmed one character's sexuality.

Which is Newt. Who is gay.

Anyway, I'm more than happy to write for Newt. I'm also more than happy to pretend he's still alive. (RIP Newt.)

SAFE AT LAST

MASTERLIST | NEWT MASTERLIST

SUMMERY: See above. AU where Newt's immune and survived the Flare.

WARNINGS: Inappropriate language, dumb anxious gays, long term feelings, end of a slow burn, like one sex joke.

Newt's your best friend.

You've been through thick and thin together. From living through and surviving the Maze, to escaping and surviving the Scorch, to taking down WICKED and making it to the Safe Haven.

It's been a rough few years, but you're safe now. Like, you're actually safe now.

You and Newt had always been close. Closer than the other Gladers had been and you can normally be found going about your tasks together. Newt actually started spending his time as a Track-hoe because that was your job- and it meant he got to spend more time with you.

The other boys have always suspected something more between the pair of you. Especially Minho, who is basically your number one fan.

He'd actually be heartbroken if you guys never got together.

But now there's really no reason for you to not be together. With the dangers and the life-threatening scenarios and the hellish world the Solar Flares created behind you- you're just kind of avoiding the topic.

Part of you really doesn't want to mess up your friendship with Newt if you say something (despite Minho constantly telling you he's in love with you.) And you're also scared.

You've got plenty of friends. The survivors of the Glade, even Gally, are all incredibly close, with the additions of Brenda, Jorge, Aris and some girls from Group B.

But romantic relationships? That's different. None of you have ever experienced romantic situations, apart from Thomas, which is now kind of awkward because you're all starting adulthood. It's scary.

"You're killing me, man" Minho complains, lying across a bench like the dramatic little shit he is, after having yet another conversation with you about Newt. "Just ask him- go on a date, tell him you love him, go spend some time in your hut- though make sure to get consent."

"Minho," you glare at him, "gross."

"What?" He leans up, resting on his elbows. "It's not like I'm wrong."

You sigh, rolling your eyes at the boy.

"Yanno, if you guys would just actually get together than I wouldn't have anything to talk to either of you about. It's kinda boring here."

"It's peaceful," you argue, "you're just used to daily suicide missions."

"Uh, sorry for tryna get your buggin' ass outta the Maze- but it sure does get ya blood pumpin'. Who doesn't love a good workout?" You scoff at him, and he sits up, letting his hands drop between his legs. "Look, talk to him. Please, for the love of everyone here- shuckin' talk to the man. I've been watching this klunk for so long I'm gonna ask Newt out if you don't grow some balls and get it over with."

"Don't you dare," he fakes a gasp, putting his hand to his chest.

"You do it, then."

You grumble, but Minho is right.

So, you stand up, deciding to go and find Newt. Which, for the first time ever, is weirdly difficult.

He's absolutely no where to be seen.

You ask Thomas, then Gally, Sonya, Aris, Jorge, even Vince.

Eventually, you spot Newt sitting in the sand, his trouser rolled up with his feet in the water, seemingly enjoying a moment away from everyone.

For some reason, watching the blond throw his head back and take a deep breath makes you think of your time with him.

Like when you'd share meals in the Glade, or when he'd be particularly stressed and you'd go for a walk and chill at the small lake in the Deadheads.

Or that one time he thought it'd be funny to make you jump and you elbowed him so hard he cracked a rib. You both got lectured by Jeff.

Or when Gally was building something and a wooden board fell back and smacked him square in the face. You and Newt were basically crying laughing as you toppled over each other. Gally was salty for weeks.

Or when in the Scorch when you fought over a battle of water, which got spilt and you both had to run away from a homicidal Minho. Which is potentially the most terrifying experience you've ever had. He was the Keeper of the Runners for a reason, even on sand.

There weren't many happy or funny moments from your life as you remember it, but the ones you do have, all have Newt in them.

He means the world to you.

You couldn't imagine your life without him. I mean, thank God you all survived and are all immune to the Flare, right?

You suck in a deep breath, making your way over to him.

"Hey," you say, sitting next to him.

"Hey," he responds, "just the guy I've been looking for."

It's not like you're completely oblivious to his attraction to you, but you are completely unaware of Newt's deep feelings for you.

He's had a crush on you ever since you came up in the Box. Everyone knew about it- Alby used to even jump in with the teasing sometimes. There's been several moments that Newt has wanted to confess, and completely pussied out last minute.

But, after being pressured by everyone, he feels like it's about time he says something.

You scoff. "You've been looking for me?"

"Yeah, but I couldn't find you for the life of me- the shuck have you been?"

You laugh, shaking your head at the irony. "Looking for you, actually."

"Oh." He blinks before snorting. "Great minds think alike, eh?"

"Yeah, I guess- look, I need to talk to you."

"I need to talk to you, too, actually." He clears his throat.

"Okay, uh, you wanna go first?"

"I mean, you can go first, if you want?"

"No no, it's fine- you go first."

"You sure? I mean you can-"

"I'm sure." You're going to be here all day if you can't actually decide who's speaking.

"Okay," he shifts, moving his legs from in front of him and crossing his legs instead. "I'm just gonna say it. I think we should be a couple."

You blink at him. He said that with so little emotion it's almost funny.

"What?"

"I like you, dude- and if Minho is anything to go off, you like me too. At least, I hope so."

You blankly look at him, which clearly makes him uncomfortable. "You do like dudes, right?" He says after a very awkward pause, realising you've never actually had that conversation.

"Yes," you confirm, before laughing.

"Shuck it, this is dumb," he rubs his face. "What were you gonna say?"

"I was actually gonna ask you the same thing," you say in between chuckles.

He shifts slightly, turning so he can face you better. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," you hesitate for a moment, "I really like you, Newt- I always have but I never said anything 'cause, yanno, we were tryna not die."

He snorts. "Yeah, I get that." He pauses again, clearly uncertain. "So... do you wanna be boyfriends, then?"

You grin. "Yeah, let's be boyfriends."

"Cool," he lets out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He's finally got a boyfriend- and it's you.

What a brilliant combination.

"Should we, uh, kiss?" You try to repress a smirk as the boy visibly cringes at his own question.

"Do you want to?" You ask.

"Yes," it's the first time in the whole conversation he's actually sounded certain of something.

"Okay, then." You spin more to face him, both of you awkwardly looking at each other for a moment before you eventually lean in.

Newt hesitates, but closes the gap, resulting in a memorable first kiss for the pair of you. It's a peck, then you reconnected, struggling to find a fitting rhythm.

The kiss is sweet and full of love, and it makes your skin tingle and your brain go fuzzy.

Until Minho's voice cuts through the Glade.

"Yes! Shucking finally! Thomas!" He shouts. "Yo! Where's Thomas? He owes me his stew for a week!"

You break away, watching the boy scurry off to find your friend.

You and Newt glance at each other before breaking into a fit of laughter, both of you calming down and then cracking up again when you make eye contact.

Newt looks beautiful when he laughs.

And now you get to experience it even more.

Because he's your boyfriend. And you're his.

Two requests in a day? That's unheard of from me. I'm back on my grind today.

In all seriousness, I am happy to be providing some much needed mlm Newt content because I'm sick to death of people ignoring his sexuality.

I hope you enjoyed :))

#🌿 petri writes tmr #🍃 petri tmr #🌿 petri writes #🌿 petri tmr newt #tmr fanfiction #newt tmr #newt the maze runner #newt is gay #tmr newt

[redheadspark]

Remember…..

Summary: Eddie comforts you after another nightmare of the Upside Down

Warnings: small angst but mostly fluff

A/N: Eddie lives in my opinion. Screw the duffer bros for killing him off. He’s alive for me!

“No! No please…please don’t…dont!”

You gasp for air, your eyes opening And tears since you thought that he got you finally. But you realize that you were in your hospital room, safe and sound and away from the Upside Down

Alway from Vecna

There’s no one else in the room with you, or so you thought. The hospital room was dark, the only sounds heard are the beeping of your monitor and the gasping of your lips. But one more noise could be heard up to your left, making you look over to see a hunched over body on the side of your bed in a deep, heavy sleep. The soft sounds of snoring with heard from the nose, along with the shaggy hair made you quickly smile in relief.

Eddie Munson. Alive and safe with you in this world.

You didn’t know how you were kidnapped and taken away from your family: one minute you were hearing chimes from a bell of a clock, seeing images of dead people and your dead mother. Lastly, a nasty looking demon who was looking at you like a prize, or food. Maybe both. But he trapped you, taking you out of your home and to some dark place.

But the next thing you knew, Eddie was saving you from being taken away forever. The look of massive relief and love on his face as he woke you up was something you would never ever forget for the rest of your life. You were beyond delighted to see him, tears of joy with streaming down your face as you two embraced finally.

“I got you, baby! I got you and I’m not lettin’ you go ever again!” he vowed against you lips as you two kissed.

He wasn’t alone, a group of friends that you barely knew from Hawkins High was with him. He looked so relieved to see you though you were trapped in covered in vines and gunk. They were going to stop the very demon that took you away, stopping him for good to make sure that he would never hurt anyone else again.

In short, they were going to save the world.

Now that they finished Vecna off and that the world was right again, Eddie took you to the hospital to make sure that you were okay. His name was cleared with the police, no longer wanted for murderer or being the suspect of those other three kids who died, including your old best friend Chrissy Cunningham.

He was now a free man, and although some of the townspeople are still skeptical about him, you were just more than happy that he was no longer framed for murder.

You are banged up and bruised from your time in the Upside Down, so you had to stay overnight for a few days in the hospital to make sure that you were checked thoroughly and healthy. Eddie volunteered to stay with you the whole time, his Uncle saying that it was OK because he knew that you were going to be well taken care of with Eddie.

Since you made it to the hospital though, you have been getting nightmares almost every night about your time in the Upside Down and your time with Vecna. You could almost hear his voice taunting you and showing you those images of your dead mother, making you feel the worse and more vulnerable than ever before.

But every time you woke up, Eddie was there to wrap his arms around you to comfort you. It was a safe haven for you, to hear his voice in your ear telling you that you’re safe, that you were out of the upside down, and that he was right there next to you.

Eddie knew what it was like since he saw Chrissy die in front of him at his mobile home, that raw fear of not knowing what to do or now to fix a situation that scared you to your core. You remembered when he went into hiding after and he called you, telling you what happened with genuine fear in his tone on the phone.

“You believe me, right baby?” He asked in worry to you on the other line.

“Of course I do, Eds! You would never do that to anyone! We’re gonna fix this, okay?”

You were helping his friends from the Hellfire Club to clear his name and to figure out who was behind all these murder. You did know Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler from their time at Hawkins high school with you, so you did have them along with Robin since she was a friend from band.

But that one night when Vecna took you as bait changed everything.

“Hey…hey it’s okay, sweetheart,”

Eddie woke up from his side of the room near your hospital bed, seeing you looking rather distressed with tears in your eyes. He was concerned, reaching over to you and tracing away the tears on your cheeks with his calloused thumbs. That touch grounded you, it made you remember that the dream was no longer there and you are in reality.

“ Was it the same dream?” He asked very softly and gently as you nodded your head slowly, showing your grim look on your face. He sighed, pressing kiss after kiss on both cheeks and then your forehead as he then maneuvered himself into the hospital bed with you.

Although the hospital bed was a bit tiny, you both are small enough that you both could fit perfectly together. Eddie wrapped an arm around your waist and behind your head to cradle you close. Then your nose and your head against his neck, your sighing in relief to breathe him in. The soft scents of weed, sweat and something that was only Eddie made you feel safe.

“We’re not there anymore, baby,” he reminded you, his voice soothing and raw against your head as he spoke, “We killed that asshole and saved the world. Now we can be together and not worry about him anymore,”

“I didn’t wanna loose you, Eds,” you croaked. There was one moment in the upside down, where Eddie was battling off some demon like bats and he almost got killed right in front of your very eyes. You were so worried in for a split moment, you truly thought, he was gone forever and that you were going to be utterly alone.

Thankfully, he stayed alive very well. Very wounded, but very much alive. You did thank your lucky stars that you weren’t going to lose Eddie.

“Baby,” Eddie cooed at you as he rang his fingers in your hair, “There’s nothing on this world, or even any Upside Down for that matter, they’ll break the two of us apart. Ever. We’re endgame, remember? I can promise you that from the very bottom of my heart.”

 You knew that to be true. When you two got together when you were ago you were the happiest you could’ve ever been. And he was the perfect boyfriend for you. Even with his metal head persona that he put on for most of Hawkins High, he was never that way with you.

 He was kind and gentle with his actions and his words, he always made you laugh in those darker times that you have within your mind, and he never ever left you in a bad state of mind when it came to a dark day.

You love tutoring him in math and science when he knew he was struggling, you love ditching class with him if you wanted to just smoke weed with him in his van on a warm afternoon, and you loved hearing him talk about Dungeons and Dragons until there was no breath left on his lips. You two completed each in more ways than one, and you both had plans after you both graduated from Hawkins.

”We’re gonna get out of this town as soon as you’re okay with the Docs, remember our plan?“ he asked as you two were still in an embrace together in your hospital bed, “We’re gonna go to Cincinnati, the both of us will be in college and get our degrees since you saved my ass from failing! I’m gonna be in a band and you’re gonna be in a book shop running the place, we’re gonna live in a studio and…”

Eddie went on about your future together as you were falling sleep within his arms, peace back in your mind again and nothing but calmness too. Eddie helped you in more ways than one, and you knew that you helped him too

Eddie made you remember not the bad times but the good, the better times that have already happened, and the times yet to come.

He kissed your head when he saw you asleep, the nightmares no longer evident on your calm face. Eddie feel asleep too, the pair of your dreaming of your new life that was about to begin. Away from Hawkins, and away from the Upside Down

The End

Tagged: @a-lumos-in-the-nox @steve-harringtons-slut @ftrmrs-ally-keofield @botanicalbarnes @basicrese @vinvantae @virtueassassin @spideyswebshooters

#im in love with eddie munson your honor #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson oneshot #eddie munson x fem!reader #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things fiction #Eddie munson #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x you

[darthgloris]

Star-crossed lovers (Palermo x fem!reader)

A/N: hello @tzkyo, here's your Palermo one-shot. Hope you like it, I had to get a bit creative with this one 🥰🥰 No promises, but if you want a part 2 I can try

Warnings: SPOILERS, injury, violence, mentions of sex

Summary: Y/N alias Sarajevo is convinced that her best friend Palermo isn't at all in love with her, but is he?

I've known Martìn for as long as I could remember, and for years he'd been talking to me about robbing the Bank of Spain. At first I thought it was crazy, but when he promised he was going to figure everything out, I was convinced. So we spent the next few years of our lives together, millimetrically planning every single detail, every single variety, every single move the police could make. And finally, it was ready. Sergio and his gang were going to follow it.

When Sergio had accepted the plan, our excitement was uncontainable: while I was coming in for a hug, he grabbed me in his arms bridal-style and spun me around, making me dizzy. My God, the man was so happy I thought he was going to cry.

Martìn and I have always had this special bond. Very special. He was my best friend, my shoulder to cry on, my safe haven, and I knew that I was the same to him. I wasn’t surprised when the gang thought we were together, or at least in love, but we weren't. If there was something I was 100% sure of, it would be that Martìn doesn't think of me as something more than a friend, and even if he did, I wouldn't want to sacrifice our friendship for it. Of course, he was caring. Of course, he was loving. Of course, he was sweet. But good friends are like that. They take care of each other. And that was exactly what I was planning to do. Keeping Martìn alive was a priority to me.

Nobody was screwing up this plan, not as long as I was around.

During the heist

I kept my eyes trained on Gandìa, the M-16 pointed at his head. The silence stretching out was unbearable, as the man didn't move an inch. My gaze every so often flickered back to Martìn, now Palermo, who didn't dare break eye contact with the psychopath.

It happened so suddenly, my brain wasn't able to register the action immediately. Gandìa turned to us, standing near each other, and shot the glass box near me. Palermo was quick to pull me out of the way and shove me into the wall. The shards blew up in his face and he yelled in pain. The scare I got was so big, I almost stopped functioning and wasn't really thinking that if we don't move quickly, he might lose his eyesight.

"Palermo!" I ran to him as fast as possible and tried to get him onto a cart, but hell, was the man heavy. "Palermo, listen to me, sweetie. You're gonna be okay, I promise, all right?" He nodded weakly in response, letting out a few moans of pain. Seeing him like this killed me. I wished I could take all of this away from him. "Somebody help me here, ¡joder!"

While the others worked on taking the shards out of his eyes, I held his hand tightly, not bothered by the squeezes he'd give every once in a while. I was really scared: what if something goes wrong? What if they can't get the glass out safely? Will he have to live the rest of his life blind?

I hadn't even realised that, in the middle of all that commotion, a few tears started rolling down my cheeks, and my breathing quickened. Estocolmo noticed and tapped my shoulder, then led me to another room so that I could calm down.

"You don't need to worry. He's strong. He'll make it." she soothed.

"But what if he doesn't?" I sniffled. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself. That shot was meant for me, not him... he shouldn't be like this, it's all my fault... I didn't do anything to protect him, I promised myself I would protect him at all costs-"

"Sarajevo, listen to me," she interrupted, grabbing my face. "It's not your fault. It was his choice to protect you, he knew of the consequences. And besides... sometimes you do really crazy things for love."

I scoffed, annoyed. I couldn't deal with explaining it all over again. It was impossible that Palermo loved me, he would have done it for anyone else... right?

"Save the speech, Sarajevo. He obviously loves you. He'd kill and die for you, as demonstrated."

"But that doesn't have to mean anything, right? I mean, him? Liking me? There's no way, just... no." I wiped my face with my sleeve.

"You know, you shouldn't just think about how he feels. Do you love him?" she attempted to fill my mind with other thoughts. "Just something to thing about, hmm? Take some rest, cariño, then go see him." With that, she gave me a hug and left the room.

Palermo? In love with me? No. It's not possible. We've been friends for years, how could he be in love with me?

Wait...

Am I in love with him?

I didn't have the energy to deal with this, so I laid on the couch and took a long nap.

...

I knocked on his door, waiting for his response. "Come in," his voice spoke. I entered the room and the sight almsot made me break down: he was half-lying on the armchair, a white bandage covered his face and a splat of blood stained the area of his left eye. He looked so weak, so pained. And to think that was supposed to be me. I would have saved him so much pain. "Hey, it's me."

"Hello, you," he said sweetly, taking off the bandage to see what he could of me. I noticed how his body relaxed, his tone of voice shifted from annoyed to caring, and pushed the thought of his feelings to the back of my mind. "Are you okay?"

"For Christ's sake, Martìn- your big concern is if I'm okay?" I asked and sat next to him, stroking his hair. Whenever he hit a rough spot during the plan, I used to comfort him this way. After a few minutes, he'd fall asleep on my chest and we'd wake up cuddled up under a blanket, then he'd get inspired and get back on track.

"Of course, I'm always worried about you. I know that you're a strong and independent woman, and I know that you can handle yourself in battle, but I want you to be safe, and I-I honestly don't know what I would do with myself if you had been half-blinded, and I just-"

That was the moment I stopped thinking. I grabbed his face and pulled his lips to mine. The first kiss was not really good. It was a bit stiff and at a bit of an awkward angle. I looked him in the eyes in pure fear of my action, and as soon as I started formulating a sentence, he mumbled something, shook his head, and kissed me again. This time, it was much better. It started out soft at first, but then he started using his tongue, getting out a few gasps from me, and pressing his body into mine, to the point where he was almost lying on top of me. I started running my fingers through his hair and tugged at his locks gently, teasing him, and he let out a low moan.

All of a sudden, the reality switch flipped: I pulled away, my breath weak, and looked at his face, scanning for any sign of regret, but I didn’t find any. I got really scared and pushed him off me, then ran away to the door, not being able to look at him.

...

It had been days and I still couldn't bring myself to look him in the eyes. I knew I hurt him, and I hurt him bad, and I was too much of a coward to face him. So every time I'd see him approach me, I'd make up an excuse and go anywhere else. I knew that was wrong, but I just couldn’t. I didn't have the courage.

...

The situation at the Bank of Spain had changed drastically. Nairobi was shot, Lisboa was "executed", then held in custody illegally, Julia revealed her identity with the alias "Manila", Gandìa killed Nairobi and escaped the bank while we smuggled Lisboa in. And Palermo and I were still as distant as the last few days.

Then the battle had begun.

Tokio, Denver and Manila were covering the kitchen while we were in the main battlefield. And right there and then, I knew that I couldn't live without Palermo, that I'd die before letting anything else happen to him, and the heated make-out session after a lifetime of friendship all of a sudden didn't matter. Or, better, it mattered even more. I wanted us both to live and get out with our money. I wanted to keep kissing him, hugging him, comforting him. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

And I knew I had to tell him.

"Before we die, mind telling me why you've been avoiding me, sweetheart?" Palermo called to me over the shooting, while we ran to hide.

"I'm so sorry, amor. I've been in denial for all these years, trying to tell myself that you're nothing more than a friend to me out of fear of losing you, while a part of me knew that I love you. I have since day one, Martìn. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I treated you like trash, and you're the last person who deserves that from me. I'm sorry, I-"

This time he was the one that interrupted me. He kissed me again, only this time it was much shorter, but also more urgent and passionate. "I've loved you all these years, Y/N. I'm glad you love me too, I really am, but right now, do me a favor."

"What?"

"Don't die, because I want to kiss you all the time when we get out."

I started crying when he said that. He hugged me tightly and I wrapped my legs around his waist as I pressed my lips to his needily.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

...

The battle was over, thank God. But I couldn't find Palermo anywhere, and I started getting very, very worried. I believed in the promise he made me, and I wasn't willing to let him go. He was probably fine, he wasn't one to go down without a fight.

And then I saw him.

There he was, the poor thing standing alone in the corridor, all battered and bruised from the fight. His face was covered in soot and his eyes were sad. However, as soon as he caught sight of me, his beautiful blue eyes lit up and he rushed over to me, tackling me in a hug that almost made me fall over.

He wrapped his arms tightly around me and hid his face in my shoulder, crying silently. I ran my hands through his hair, whispering soothing things in his ear and kissing him all over the face.

"I... I was so scared to lose you..." he made out.

"I was, too. It's okay now, I'm here, mi amor. I'm safe."

His shaky breath was painful to hear, until it stopped and he pulled away from the hug. Then he looked for the nearest empty room with no camera and grabbed my hand, pulling me inside. He locked the door and sighed, then grabbed my hands in his. He hesitated for a moment while he pushed a few strands of hair out of my face, making me smile. He angled his face to kiss me below my earlobe and I gasped softly, although not moving away from the wet touch of his lips.

"I got half-blinded. We made out. We didn't talk for days. We confessed to each other. We almost died. And now..." he sighed mid-sentenced. "...now I want to show you just how much I love you, mi vida."

I took a few seconds to process the words, then gave him my consent. And that was all he needed.

He pushed me into the wall and gave me a French kiss, making me moan, and then trailed his lips down my neck.

And the rest was history.

#money heist #la casa de papel #lcdp #la casa de papel x reader #lcdp netflix #palermo x reader #palermo

[snowthornes]

💥, 😨, 🍧, 🎭, and 🔪 for Thorne sdjfgksg or whichever of those you want bc I recognize that that's quite a few lol. I just think he's neat

ASK GAME: THORNE BRIERS | SHEPHERDS OF HAVEN | OMNI

SDJDG Thank you so much for sending an ask!! And it's not a problem at all — I love writing about my OCs!!! No matter how much you send, I'll be over the moon. Thank you so much for liking Thorne, that makes me very happy!! 🥹🥹💐💐

As usual, I'll be answering in the context of the SHOH universe! Ah, here's the LINK to the ask game, for anyone who wants to do it!

Edit: Okay, this became. Long. Ridiculously long. I considered splitting the ask up, but I'm not sure how that would work. Will probably do it in the future, though!

MINOR SPOILERS FOR THE ALPHA BUILD BELOW!!

😨 — when scared, do they go into "flight" or "fight"?

Flight! Thorne's not very big on the whole 'go out in a blaze of glory' thing — he'd much rather slip away from the enemy's grasp and live to fight another day.

Actually — and this is a bit off topic — he's not a very big fan of the whole 'self sacrificing' routine that a lot of the Shepherds seem to have going on. Scratch that, he hates it. Everytime Trouble or Blade or any of the Shepherds say something along the lines of sacrificing themselves to save innocents, his eye practically starts twitching in irritation. 🗿

He'd much rather that they all stayed alive, thank you very much. He refuses to tolerate any other outcome. Now that I think about it, it's a bit funny — he'd joined the Shepherds only as a means of self-preservation. He was so sure that he'd fade into the background soon enough, that the Shepherds would just be another odd chapter in his life.

Now he spends most of his time running himself ragged for the order and (secretly) worrying about his more self-sacrificial comrades' survival. Oh, he also spends a good chunk of his time worrying about Caine. His ass was not expecting to be a sort-of-guardian for a twelve year old, but here they are. Ah, how the turns have tabled.

Blade, Dead Serious: Are you willing to bleed for the order? To die for the order? That's what we demand from all our recruits. Thorne, voice floating from another room: It would also be ideal if you, you know. Didn't die. Less paperwork that way.

🎭 — Do they act differently around certain people? What's different between the way they act around friends, family, strangers, etc.?

Oh, boy. Given the fact that his entire surface demeanor revolves around concealing his true thoughts and emotions from others, I would have to say... yes.

HOW HE ACTS AROUND STRANGERS/FRIENDLY ACQUAINTANCES:

Around strangers or friendly acquaintances, Thorne's guard is always up. His charming veneer never wavers, cloaking him like a second skin — he smiles at the right time, laughs at the right occasion, and frowns at the right moment. Everything he does is a calculated mix of genuine and deliberate, engineered to make him come off as a smooth mix of charming, elusive, and trustworthy — elusive enough to make people think of him as mysterious, but pleasant enough to make people trust him.

He doesn't lie outright, however. Not if he can help it. Lies are tricky, and can leave too many threads to pull and unravel. Instead, he deals in half-truths: little bits of truth about himself that he can sacrifice to the masses, all while keeping the ones that he'd rather hide safely concealed behind his smile.

Strangers know him as the dark-haired mage who carries himself with an air of casual elegance, who possesses storm gray eyes that gleam with an intelligent and elusive light.

Others would say that he's a smooth-talking sod who knows more than he lets on.

Others still would call him a smart bastard who's absolutely ruthless in a fight.

Ah, well. Depends on who you listen to.

HOW HE ACTS AROUND FRIENDS/FAMILY:

Around friends or family — and let's face it, those two words are practically synonymous in this case — Thorne is a lot more expressive and reactive.

While it took him a long, long time to get to his point, Thorne begins to drop the calculated front when around the Shepherds. He becomes a lot more... relaxed, and as a result, a trace of his true personality comes out — though sometimes even Thorne isn't sure what that is.

He becomes a lot more mischievous, bouncing off of Chase and Trouble's antics by spearing them with the occasional dry comment or good natured jab. He also frequently comes to Blade, Red, and Halek's defense(?) by playfully coming up to bat with his arsenal of deceptively innocent quips whenever the others are dogpiling them, prompting Ayla to jokingly complain that he was a "bloody suck-up": an accusation to which Thorne responded with a look of mock-offense and a lofty, "I haven't the faintest idea of what you mean."

His terrible sense of humor also comes out in full force. Even the stupidest and flattest of jokes can coax a snort of laughter from him. He's a big fan of Riel's sarcasm, often snorting in amusement — eyes sparkling with poorly concealed laughter — whenever the other lets loose of yet another dry quip.

Overall, he's very different from how he was when he first joined the Order. When he first joined the order, he had treated them as he would any other stranger: charming, but distant, with the distinct air of someone who was sure to leave in the future. Now, he couldn't be any more different.

Trouble had once remarked on his change. He had ruffled Thorne's hair, ignoring his dismayed squawks, while thoughtfully commenting on how different he was compared to when they first met him.

"Oh?" Thorne had responded dryly, disgruntledly attempting to fix his ruffled dark hair. "What was I like when we first met, then?"

"Sort of closed off, even though you smiled a lot," Trouble had said thoughtfully. "Like one of those nobles. And you always kept your distance — almost like you were going to disappear any second."

Thorne had paused. It had felt odd, hearing this from Trouble. He hadn't known how to react. "... And now?"

Trouble had grinned, then, eyes warm and affectionate. He clapped Thorne on the back and slung a familiar arm around his shoulders. "Well, now you're stuck with us, of course!"

Thorne had let out a breath at that, rolling his eyes. There was a pause, the two of them blanketed in comfortable silence, before a quiet voice spoke tentatively into the air:

"Yes, I am."

🔪 — How do they react to injury / misfortune befalling their loved ones (significant other, family, friends)? Do they put themselves at blame?

Now... here's the thing. The more Thorne cares about someone, the more emotional he can get. The more he cares about someone, the less all the other things — logic, pragmatism, himself — matter to him. He's very much the type to love slower but harder. I genuinely think that life threatening injury befalling his loved ones would make him completely fling all his caution and inhibitions to the wind.

He'd be rushing to their side in a heartbeat. If they were on a battlefield, he'd be fighting his way to their side like an animal gone feral: all gnashing power and glinting arrows and a desperate need to get to their side, get to their side, before it's too late. Thorne knows how swiftly a person's life can be snuffed out; how one wound, one blow, can so easily drag them to a realm that no living being can ever hope to reach. He has to get to them. He has to.

His magic would probably start running rampant, responding to the cold spikes of fear cutting through his chest, to the ringing screaming in his ears. Rationally, he knows that he should conserve his magic and energy — that he shouldn't be so reckless, so careless, so impulsive — but all that would be drowned out by his urgent need to get to their side.

Ultimately, I think he'd either reach their side and haul them off to safety while debating between trying to heal them now or scrambling to a Healer (he's not the best healer), or someone else would step in and snap him out of it. If someone like Red (since he can translocate) told him to stay behind while they got the injured loved one to safety, Thorne would probably gnash his teeth but ultimately, stay and absolutely tear into the enemy. The moment the battle was over he'd be rushing off to go check on the loved one.

Once he sees them, alive and— well. Not well, but not dead, at least — he'll probably start crying. Tears run down his cheeks while he desperately tries to stifle his sobs, but it seems like the inhuman control he typically has over his emotions has fucked off to nowhere and he just keeps bawling his eyes out like an utter fool. Someone, either the poor injured loved one, (who now has a Mr. Thorne Briers bawling over their bed), or a trusted friend tries to comfort him, and he stiffens up so much that they fear he'll break. But then he grasps onto them like a lifeline, (or ever so gently, featherlight, if they were the injured loved one), and starts sniffling out a bunch of incomprehensible reassurances and apologies as he forcibly tries to calm himself. (It doesn't work).

He'll probably be extra clingy in the coming days, like a cat wandering around their favorite person. He won't come too close out of fear of smothering them (he probably still is) but he'll repeatedly attempt to ✨discreetly✨ poke his head into the infirmary to check on how they're doing and reassure himself that they'll be fine. If he's close enough to this particular loved one and feels secure enough to do so, he'll probably insist on doing his paperwork near them. The poor healers will probably have to shoo him out with a broom at one point.

Eventually, he'll start to relax and lay off on the clinginess, but — I think he'll be a lot more... forward with his affection than he was before. His masks and pretenses are still there — I don't think they'll go that easily — but they're a lot more transparent, and more easy to see through. For his loved ones, anyway.

Ah. This got long. I'm sorry, I think I just really like the drama 😔

💥 — What emotions do they have trouble dealing with?

Thorne... can be frustratingly complicated when it comes to dealing with emotion. He does a lot of mental gymnastics and unnecessary entangling when it comes to... how he perceives himself, and it can be a headache trying to follow him. Ironic, how someone so determined to never lose his composure is actually an absolute trainwreck. Still, I'll do my best to answer!

(Ah, and a reminder that Thorne's thoughts and opinions do not necessarily align with my own, and that they're not always, well... right.)

Thorne is the type to feel with everything in him — and it's a part of himself that he's grown to despise. Sadness, grief, longing, compassion, and hope: they will do nothing. They will accomplish nothing. He sees it as an unnecessary indulgence — something he lets himself feel just to validate himself. To pretend that he's a better person than he really is. That he can be better.

He can't.

Take compassion, for example. For Thorne, compassion coming from him is a useless token. Compassion is pointless when no action is taken, and he can't— he can't promise anything. And what good is feeling sympathy for anything when you can't do anything to help them?

Once upon a time, he had worn his heart on his sleeve. He used to be brighter, all smiles and laughter: a light that waveringly persisted even after the destruction of his village. And he had tried to help — to save people, to do good in the world. But after a few events that I won't get into right now, he... became disillusioned. Overly so, I would say. After all, what was the point in having a bleeding heart when you wouldn't be able to save them no matter how much you bled? When you would only make things worse? He began to harden and hold the world at an arms length. Slowly, he learned to conceal himself, to manipulate and charm and persuade.

And the more beautiful his mask became, the more he began to despise himself.

To be blunt, Thorne hates himself far too much to indulge in these emotions.

Sadness, grief, longing, compassion, and hope: he began to deal with them by either internally pulling away or leaning into his anger.

Thorne's anger isn't the raging, blood-pumping kind — not usually, anyway. His anger is focused, deliberate, like ice and frost creeping up a metal chain and delicately shattering it to pieces. Anger is easy. Anger is cold. Anger lets him look at the world with a knife-like clarity, lets him ignore the steadfast ache in his chest. Anger lets him ignore the emptiness that follows him wherever he goes. Anger... is protection.

Yes, not a very healthy way to cope. But he'll be having some hefty character development throughout the course of the game! :D

🍧 — Do they still have any objects from their childhood? What significance does it have to them? What would their reaction be if they lost it?

Thorne has a bracelet made of twine, with little wooden star-shaped beads woven into it in pretty patterns! His mother had been the one to weave the bracelet, while his father had been the one to carve the wooden stars.

It had been his thirteenth birthday gift; his father gave it to him the day before his Wreath Day. His mother had woven it for him when she fell sick with the Grey Waste. The Grey Waste was deadly, and she had known that it was very unlikely she would be able to pull through. So, shakily, laboriously, she created one last gift for her son, to be given on his thirteenth birthday.

Thorne had cried for hours when he received the bracelet, burrowing into his father's arms as he bawled his heart out. Now, the bracelet is old and worn; he keeps it in a pouch he wove himself, embroidered with patterns of his parents' favorite flowers in honor of their memory. He would be absolutely devastated if something were to ever happen to it, and would probably be shattered for days before painfully accepting that it was gone.

#gameboard.txt #listen. i have no excuse . #shepherds of haven #oc: thorne #i think i just can't shut up when it comes to my ocs im sorry #😔😔😔

[nirikeehan]

*kicks in ask box door* NIRI TAKING PROMPTS???? HELLO HAPPY FREAKIN FRIDAY I would like to request some Cullen/Thalia w/wingman Pravin (shock of shocks), mayhaps with a dramatic situation prompt: Just, being carried, being held (legs give out, weak, illness, injury, fatigue, fear), or being able to carry someone, to hold someone safe in your arms, to cradle them close PLEASE AND THANK YOU

OKAY so Pravin isn't wingmanning so much here bc it's after the battle of Haven and he's big mad that the Inquisition probably got his cousin killed bUT here's some delicious shippy angst anyway

For @dadrunkwriting

WC: 698

Note: "Fidencio Frye" is Pravin's stage name and Cullen does not yet know his true identity nor relation to Thalia bc dramatic irony is delicious.

---

The wind howls through the night. She’s dead, it whispers in Cullen’s ears. He sent her to die, and die she did. 

His tent is flimsy and no one is warm. When they break to make camp for the night, he huddles by the meager campfire, struggling to get the feeling back in his hands. To shake the images of Haven as it fell: the screams of the dying; the look on Thalia’s face, steeling against the reality that she would not make it out. The red flash of the sword in a friend’s hand as he stood beside… whatever that beast was. Cullen recognized him immediately. That is Samson. He gave orders he thought he would never have to give.

Friends are monsters and the Herald is dead. 

Supplies are low. The bard Fidencio Frye shares Cullen’s campfire more often than not. Leliana’s mysterious contact has folded in on himself, become grim and taciturn. He sits in silence. Reflections of the flames dance in his chilly green eyes.

“I never should have let her go.” 

Cullen didn’t even know Fidencio cared much for Lady Thalia. Nor did Cullen, now that he thinks on it. The void she leaves behind is vaster than he could have imagined. 

“You wouldn’t have stopped her,” Cullen murmurs. “She believed in the cause. She wanted to fight.” 

“The Maker can fuck your cause all the way to the Black City,” Fidencio snarls. “She was just a kid.” 

Cullen does not want to argue. He is so tired, and so hungry. The headache pounds inside him rhythmically, almost like a song. All that lyrium surrounding him in the battle  — the bright, putrid red. It was calling to him. Ever since it’s been like those first bleak days all over again: he’s been shaky, feverish. He has one blue bottle hidden, one he promised himself he would never actually drink. All he wants to do is taste the sweet metallic tang and forget the delicate lines of Thalia’s face.

“This is my fault,” Cullen says.

“Damn right it is,” Fidencio retorts. “Haven had terrible fortifications. You all knew it.”

The blizzard has dispersed — a mercy, or they’d all be dead — and the night is the still, blistering cold that shocks one to the core. Cullen used to like nights like this, in his youth; they reminded him he was alive. Now these might be his last days on earth, and he’ll take them quietly, beside a bitter man to remind him how badly he’s failed. 

The snow glistens blue in the light of the moon. Somewhere, a wolf howls. Cullen swears he can hear faint, crunching footsteps. He looks up and sees the distant figure, swaying on unsteady feet. A shade of the girl he sent to die: the crown of braids is the same, the darkness rendering her auburn hair black. 

She falls to her knees, and Cullen is on his feet, because she hasn’t vanished from his sight, a trick of his guilty mind. “It’s her,” he says, taking off at a run. 

She’s shivering, her skin like ice, face smeared with dirt and dried blood. Strands of her hair dangle low in her eyes; one plait by the nape of her neck has all but unraveled. Without thinking, Cullen grabs her and hoists her up, pulling her close. He is desperate to transfer her some warmth. It’s a miracle she’s even alive, a miracle she’s somehow made it all this way, to find them anew. 

Thalia lets out a trembling breath and buries her face in his fur collar. “It’s all right,” Cullen whispers, although he is terrified that is a lie. “I’ve got you.” 

He turns and there his colleagues stand, expressions alight with shock and disbelief: Josephine, Leliana, and Cassandra. Shoving between them is Fidencio Frye, the ostrich feather on his cavalier hat streaming behind him like an afterthought. 

“You’re such a brat,” the strange bard admonishes the half-frozen Herald of Andraste, clutching her hand. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again.” 

“Nice to see you too,” Thalia murmurs, and Cullen has the curious sense he’s stepped into a scene of a play having missed the first act. 

#thalia trevelyan #cullen rutherford #cullen x trevelyan #thalia x cullen #pravin talavera #pravinquisition #fics #dragon age drunk writing circle

[pangolinheart]

FFXIVWrite 2023 DAY 14 - CLEAR

🙃

Rating: General Genre: General Characters: Z'rhiki Irhi (Warrior of Light) Word Count: 775 Content Warnings: Implied/Referenced Major Character Death

It was a rare sunny day in Coerthas – crisp and clear. The snow sparkled in the sunlight. Under a brilliant blue sky, the wintery region, which usually appeared desolate and foreboding, looked almost charming. The shrieking of the wind had been replaced by the sound of birdsong floating from the sparse, icicle-laden trees and the satisfying crunch of snow beneath Z’rhiki’s boots as she walked the familiar path to Providence Point.

The area’s lack of seasons in the wake of the calamity created the strange impression that nothing ever changed in the icy expanse, and the stone cairns she wound her way through looked just as she had left them. The edge of the escarpment did, too -it’s lone gravestone still standing vigil over the city of Ishgard. It was in front of this headstone that Z’rhiki eventually came to rest.

“You know, even when the weather clears up, it’s frigid up here!” She chatted amiably as she settled into the snow. “I wish I looked good in cloaks. They’re fashionable and functional! And don’t go telling me I look good in anything. You know I don’t believe you.”

The only response was the whistling of an air current through the chasm below.

She smiled a fond but melancholy smile at the headstone. “Hello old friend.” Even now the words made her throat tighten. “It’s been a while. I have a good excuse this time, though. Actually, I should probably be working now, but I just had to get away from –“ She cut herself off. That was a terrible thing to say. There was no one around to hear it, of course, but it still felt wrong to say it. Instead, she eyed the grave slyly. “But you’ll let me play hooky here, right? Just like old times.”

Old times, and older by the year. He had ever been her favorite hideout when everything became a bit too much; the Scions, the primals, the many crises constantly plaguing the star. He had always been happy to see her, and more than willing to offer her a safe haven in exchange for stories of her most recent adventures.

“I’ve been doing fine, by the way. In case you were wondering. Well, maybe not fine-fine, but… managing. Nothing a few drinks won’t help me forget. They’ll have to be stronger than this, though.” She reached for the metal cannister she had brought with her. Even through the metal walls the hot cocoa within had cooled slightly, but it still flooded her stomach with warmth when she took a sip.

She noticed as she drank that there were fresh flowers on the grave. Francel must still be making his regular pilgrimages. “It never gets any easier, does it?” She remembered him asking, the first time she had encountered him there.

No, it really didn’t. The pain  never left her, she had just learned how to put it away for a while so that she could function. But when she pulled it back out of its box, it was the same as ever. Just like the gravestone. She doubted it would ever leave her. She didn’t even want It to anymore. The sadness was a memory of love, and letting go of it was too close to forgetting. It wasn’t healthy, or so people told her, but she wanted to keep that pain, because within it, if she listened closely, she could hear the echo of him.

She didn’t say any of this out loud, of course. It had been difficult to talk about when he was alive, and somehow it wasn’t any easier now. So, she usually talked about her most recent exploits instead. He had always liked listening to her tales of adventure. That, at least, was something she could still share with him, even if realistically she knew it was more for her own sake than his. If she tried, she could almost picture him perched atop the headstone with his elbows on his knees, listening with a characteristic half-smile, laughing at her jokes or something foolish she had done. She would never hear that sound again, but if she closed her eyes and listened, she felt she almost could.

She suddenly felt the warm beginnings of tears in her eyes, so she brought the thermos to her lips again and took another drink, using those few seconds to blink them away. When she set the cocoa back down at her side, she was smiling again.

“You’ll never believe where I’ve been. I mean it – it sounds like I made it up when I say it out loud. How much do you know about parallel worlds…?”

#ffxivwrite #ffxivwrite2023 #ffxiv #final fantasy xiv #heavensward spoilers #auggie writes #rhiki tag #why did i write this??? #i don't know #i was moved by a great and terrible urge #enjoy~

[ssarkosghost]

Arkos Week DAY 6 - Reunion

Ah Day 6 and I guess I should lead with a bit of a warning, mentions of death and actual dying, but it all ends well I swear. Thanks again to @arkos-week-2022 and hope you’ll enjoy.

Jaune never knew that he’d make it to old age. Life on Remnant had never been completely safe. Oh, sure the kingdoms often proclaimed how the various villages under their domain were safe. That each one had the best factors for offering protection and the chance to live a Grimm-free life. All part of the propaganda for which kingdom was the best one. Not that it wasn’t partially true, but Jaune knew that a few of his childhood days held danger that a Grimm could have ended his life right there.

Then there was his life as a Huntsman, nearly dying in initiation at the start of his career and the danger only increasing every since. From criminal gangs to invading Grimm and…the worst day of his life, it was a miracle that he survived physically. Mentally he knew his last year at Beacon had roughed his thought process, a wound he still carried to a degree.

He was glad his friends had not given up on him during that time, even if when it came down to it, he was more of a liability than an asset early on. By rights, he should have died in the Battle for Haven, but again destiny seemed to have other ideas for that day. While unlocking his semblance should have been a glorious moment, but he never reached that, just relief that death hadn’t taken someone before him.

Yet the war did not get easier, instead, it only increased with their journey to Atlas. The memories of Atlas itself were drenched in death. That battle had rightly earned itself the moniker the Ending’s Start by historians and biographers. The destruction of perhaps the most powerful kingdom plus the disappearance of Team RWBY, who were well on their way to being labeled heroes, had made it a dark time for Remnant.

That had only been the start of Jaune’s worst time though, as his time in Wonderland, as those that fell there termed it, was not pleasant. Still, death did not take him and after they all returned to Remnant, though he had many happy memories, the rest of the war blurred together. It wasn’t until his third showdown with Cinder did, he think of death.

But not his, as by this point Cinder had nearly been consumed by the Grimm arm Salem had given her. Mercy was given that day, even if Cinder fought for her life, against the Grimm and Team JNR. Then a massive blast of white light covered the world, and it was over. Salem was gone, and Oscar said he was the last of the Ozs.

The resulting break was nice but short, and much had to be done. The world was still broken, Grimm prowled now leaderless, and everyone looked to them for help. Thus, between his twenties and fifties, he had helped repair and defend the world. His sixties to nineties had been him passing the mantle on and teaching, along with becoming the grumpy grouch of the village.

Well not really, he couldn’t bring himself to grouse at the kids that asked for his stories. For he was the last of the heroes alive, at the ripe old age of a hundred and twenty (he blamed his aura and semblance for outlasting everyone else).

Now however as the sun fell over his simple cottage, he knew it was probably time. Barely a flicker of aura graced his skin the entire day, and his breaths slowed. Yes, it was time, and he was ready. As he let darkness fall over his eyes, comfortable in his bed, Jaune Arc, the Shield of Light, Leader of Team JNPR, breathed his last on Remnant.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

When Jaune next awoke, he noted the sheer vastness of blinding whiteness that surrounded him. Carefully sitting up he noted that his body was younger, much younger. It looked like he had returned to his looks and build of his last year at Beacon. It wasn’t his first choice, but it did still feel right. As he wondered what was going on a familiar voice came from behind him.

“Hello again.”

With a slow turn, not wanting this to be some terrible nightmare, Jaune came about and saw her. Pyrrha Nikos, just as she was when he last saw her alive. To say the moment was emotional would be an understatement. The two crashed into a hug, as emotions, once held in check by their opposing states flowed out. Much was needed to be said between them and just as much needed to be forgiven. Eventually, their words slowed as the two finally let go of each other.

“So…uh where are we?” Jaune asked as he looked around at the ever-expanding whiteness.

“Holding for recently departed souls,” Pyrrha answered, “It helps sort of figure out which souls are stable versus those who may need additional help,”

“Ah guess I’m a bit of a—”

Jaune’s words were stopped by a stern glare from Pyrrha, she had already watched him beat himself down his entire life, and she would not tolerate it anymore.

“Jaune, I came because I wanted to be with you so we could make the choice together.”

“Choice?” Jaune asked as he tilted his head to the side.

“Yes, our world is one of many connected,” Pyrrha started as she waved her hand and the vast plain of white disappeared and, in its place, a stary sky appeared. Thin wisps connected every mote of light, each, as Jaune looked closer, a world stood.

“Wow…the Brothers were busy,” Jaune stated in amazement

“Yes, they were, and many such worlds also have troubles caused by those two’s…lack of tact,” Pyrrha said, her tone turning harsh for the first time in…ever Jaune thought.

“So, this choice is either stay here or—”

“Venture on another world,” Pyrrha finished for him, “and perhaps give ourselves the chance we both wanted.” Jaune looked back toward Pyrrha, her form still as brilliant as ever, and immediately knew what his choice would be.

#ArkosWeek2022 #RWBY #Arkos #Jaune-Arc #Pyrrha-Nikos

[therisingphoenixden]

Prompt #9: Dreams of Wings (And How They Scare Me)

Prompt: Yawn

Characters: Berude Eijin, Alphinaud Levilieur, Alisaie Levilieur, Thancred Waters, Urianger Augurelt

Content Warnings: ShB spoilers

Author’s Notes: Happy weekend! This would have popped up sooner, but we resumed No Pants Fredas Undaunted runs with my ESO guild. This takes place a few days after “A Pawn No Longer” for reference.

“You two stay -” While saying farewell to the twins before the Scions temporarily parted ways, Berude paused and gave in to the urge to yawn for the fourth time since the journey to see the twins off. “Ah, stay safe”

Two pairs of identical cobalt blue eyes fixed on her with concern. “Are you all right, my friend?” It was Alphinaud, as diplomatic and talkative as ever, who broke their awkward silence first. “You look positively exhausted.” His gaze flicked to his sister, as if they were silently debating among themselves whether or not they should abandon their respective missions in favor of staying with Berude.

The au ra gave her best convincing smile, even though she hated lying to the twins, of all the Scions. “It was probably just the excitement at being reunited soon with Y’shtola again that kept me up. Well, that and…” she trailed off and nodded her head backwards where she knew Emet-Selch lurked under Thancred and Urianger’s watchful gaze. Let them think she was worried about the Ascian among them or excited for the journey to the Rak’tika Greatwood and not what had truly kept her from sleeping the night before.

Alisaie nodded in agreement as she stroked the sleek black feathers of the amaro that would return her to Ahm Arang. “Promise me you’ll sleep,” she murmured, tone full of worry and concern. She admired Berude, and seeing her exhausted state worried the young girl. Those dark circles under her eyes stood out like bruises against the backdrop of pale skin and ivory scales. “Once you’re in a safe haven, I mean. Or I’ll make sure you’re locked up in your suite alone for a week just so you can sleep!”

“I will.” Berude successfully bit back another yawn. “I want both of you to stay safe as well.” She opened her arms and the twins crashed into her sides for hugs. Although now quite a bit taller than Berude, she began to tear up with almost motherly pride at how the twins had grown since she first met them. “Be safe, be smart, and may the Twelve watch over you.” 

She watched as they saddled up on their respective amaros before returning to her comrades, ignoring Urianger’s concern and Thancred’s thinly veiled bemusement. The gunbreaker seemed torn between brooding rage at the Ascian among them, the desire to tease her and Urianger for what he thought had kept her awake the night before, comment about how good a surrogate mother she was to the youngest Scions, and his struggle with being a good influence and guardian to Minfilia. The facial journey he was making with such wildly conflicting emotions almost had her in giggles until he settled on a neutral expression.

Berude squared her shoulders and tried to project a more energized aura than she felt. “Shall we head out? We’ve a tablet and an old friend to find.”

-

Urianger awoke with a grunt when something thin lashed across his stomach, leaving the skin stinging under his astrologian robes. In the darkness of the tent he shared with Berude, he could hear the disquiet of her sleep and brushed a hand over her cheek in hopes of soothing her and her dangerously lashing tail.

The noises she made became pained as tears escaped her closed eyes. After their lengthy discussion not long before leaving the Crystarium, he wondered which demons were tormenting her this night. How similar were they to the nightmares that plagued her in the nights prior?

He heard her sob and felt her warmth as she curled into his side. “You’re here,” she cried softly, “Bless Nhaama, you’re here. And alive. I-I didn’t…” He felt her hand wander clumsily up his chest to settle over his heart, feeling his heartbeat hammering under her fingers. “P-please, check my back? I don’t…I can’t do it myself, where I need to reach.”

Urianger suddenly knew what haunted her dreams, and he obliged her strange request. His hands moved under her linen undertunic, over battle-scarred skin and patches of smooth scales, until he reached her shoulderblades. There, he felt the ridges of bone under her muscled back, but not what she feared. No angelic wings threatened to burst forth and usher in her transformation as a Lightwarden. “Twas naught but a dream, mine star,” he whispered before kissing the small patch of scales between her brows.

There was some rustling and shifting next to him. Then he felt her weight settle atop him. “I-is this all right?” She wasn’t normally this timid, but whatever was blooming between them was still too new, too delicate, and Urianger felt a measure of relief that she was just as nervous as he felt. Their shared experiences with lost loves left them both more than a little shy, it seemed.

“Aye. Whatever comfort I can offer thee, I will do so gladly.” His arms moved around Berude, one at her waist and the other at the back of her neck, anchoring her to reality as her own tail curled at his hip. His thumb carefully stroked the patch of skin between her hairline and her neck and the tension within her began to ease. Soon, her breathing steadied and slowed and he was quick to follow her into slumber.

Night at the Greatwood’s edge continued peacefully.

#ffxivwrite2022 #ffxivwrite #ffxiv #berude eijin #urianger augurelt #wol x urianger

[omori-ethereal-route]

I actually already replied this on a post of yours, but I realized that it would probably be easier for you if it's in an ask so I'm sending this now!

For the issue of Sunny, you could make it so that he can access the ethereal plane when he's dreaming like how some ghosts can access the living world through the dream world.

It would fit with his whole thing of dreams being his escape from the real world, the only real issue would be that he might get addicted to dreaming and relapse but he has his friends and his mom (?) to anchor him to the living world so that won't be a HUGE problem...

The only real issue left would be to get Sunny himself to believe that he's actually in the afterlife and not just dreaming again, but you could incorporate that into your storyline!

He could slowly notice the differences between the Ethereal Plane and a certain Dreamland, like how Klaus, Del, and Mari all have agency and lives outside of him, how huge and complicated the afterlife is, how he can't control things here, etc etc, until the realization hits him like a truck one day that this is REAL.

You don't HAVE to include this or anything, it's just a random idea I had one day and I decided to send it to you but I am insanely shy and very new to Tumblr so after I hit send I am probably going to spend hours screaming into my pillow so...

(Haha, you don’t need to worry ^^ I’ve been on Tumblr for over 5 years now and I still get insanely shy went sending stuff to people lmao)

(As for your idea, I really like the concept however since we’re currently only a few months, not even half a year, after Mari’s death, as of right now if I have my lore right, Sunny’s Headspace isn’t even finalized yet. It’s implied that Sunny has had to remake Headspace over and over and over because he wasn’t happy with how his friends kept turning out.)

(I think it’s also this point in time where this is even before The Wisest, Abbi, is banished to The Abyss. And since Sunny seems very keen in making his escape as perfect as possible, he wouldn’t really be thinking of anything else. Plus, it’s also implied that Sunny has repressed his trauma so intensely that he probably doesn’t even remember Mari’s dead and his mind will come up with an excuse on why she’s not around anymore.)

(Another thing is that while Ghost’s can enter the Dream Realm to interact with the living, it can’t really work the other way around. This is due to The Living not being able to access their Soul’s Cores for extra power. It’s considered Supernatural and therefore doesn’t really exist in the living. So even if Sunny wanted to dream and go to The Afterlife, we wouldn’t really be able to UNLESS he somehow is able to gain access to his Core WHILE still alive)

(One thing I do agree on tho is how addictive this could be. But not JUST for Sunny. It would also be very addictive for Mari too as while you may not see it, her mental state is still very fragile. She’s still doing her weekly therapy appointments so she’s slightly better but she’s nowhere near as she was before. This wouldn’t be a very good way for her to cope)

(When alive she was very independent, confident, peppy and very social. Here in The Afterlife, she’s slightly jumpy at times, she’s become introverted and shy- as seen from her not leaving the house for like 2 months- and lastly, she’s become extremely clingy and dependent on Klaus and Del. Them serving as a safe haven for her to go to in this completely new environment she’s been thrown into against her will)

(I really do like this concept and while I don’t think it’ll work too well with the story I’m planning to tell, I might possibly do some “What if” drawings that are non-canon :D I greatly appreciate the input and I’m just happy people wanna interact with this blog as much as they do! Waking up to 99+ notifications this morning was a very pleasant surprise and for a second I thought I was still asleep and I was dreaming xD)

#omori #omori game #omori: ethereal route #omori spoilers #omori mari #omori sunny #omori oc #omori klaus #omori wendell #ask response #text post #mod mack #mod ask #mod text #mod answers #mod response #mod post

[hawkinshightigcrs]

👫 - for robin

Send a 👫and I’ll write four headcanons I have about our muse’s relationship /// Currently Accepting

I hope you like angst because boy do I be having some sad ones omg 😭

Ever since Steve and Robin grew closer as best friends, Steve lets Robin have fake boyfriend privileges in emergency cases. I don’t mean they pretend so much so that they kiss or anything like that, cause absolutely not. Robin would rather throw up than do that (sorry Steve, it’s not personal I promise omg). What I mean though is that he lets Robin tell her family that Steve’s her boyfriend since they were starting to grow suspicious about her never bringing a boy home. He also lets her tell people at school that too if she has a particularly nosy bully who’s onto her, cause not only will they back off, but also “King Steve’s” name still holds a lot of power in Hawkins High. Not only that, but I image Steve’s not afraid to come on down to the school and knock some heads around if so much as a single hair is touched on Robin’s head. He’s a great best friend omg. ❤️

Sometimes when things get really bad at home, Robin will just show up at Steve’s doorstep at odd hours of the night to sleepover at his place. She walks the entire way over to his house every time regardless of how far of a walk it is or how cold it may be outside. After he lets her in, I feel like he always gives her a whole speech about how she should’ve called him to come pick her up because anything could’ve happened to her on the way there. The nights are usually the same every time– Robin doesn’t want to talk about it, Steve maybe makes some quick food in case she didn’t eat dinner that night, they watch some cheesy movie to lift the mood, then fall asleep at some point in Steve’s bed. They always share the bed because Robin likes to assure he’s still alive and not hurt when the nightmares keep her awake. In the morning, she’s usually back to her happy-go-lucky self, but I feel like he can always tell it’s just a front, ya know?? But he never calls her out on it unless it was a particularly bad night, like, really awful.

Steve’s the only person Robin trusts enough to break down in front of, and every time she does it’s always on accident. Robin’s the kind of person to avoid bad feelings because she hates feeling the discomfort that comes with it, so she’ll just bottle it up and say she’s fine even when she’s really not until the bottle finally explodes from the pressure of everything. At first, I think Steve must’ve thought she was just very oversensitive or something?? Because it always starts off with her getting mad about something small like not doing something right at work, but then the anger turns into her toppling all of these other awful events that maybe could happen because of her mistake but most likely won’t, and then come the tears. At first, it was really embarrassing for her, but now she just goes to him whenever she feels like she needs to cry because she knows he won’t care, but Robin still puts it off for as long as she can.

Every now and again Robin will think about how lucky she is to have a friend like Steve, but then she suddenly remembers he’s Steve “The Hair” Harrington, and it makes her laugh every single time. Because someone who she couldn’t stand a year ago, thought she’d always hate till the end of time, that there was nothing in this world that could ever make her like Steve “The Hair” Harrington, is now the person who knows her best and is her closest friend. Don’t get her wrong, Robin wouldn’t have it any other way, but she’ll also never get over it! Although, I think because she’s so grateful for him being a safe haven of sorts for her, she also feels like she doesn’t deserve him. Like at any moment the universe might magically realize it blessed the wrong person and Steve will grow to hate her. Losing him is a real fear of hers and sometimes when she gets too lost in her head like that, she distances herself without meaning to which always gets his attention and ends up with him reassuring her that he’s not going anywhere (and that she’s also a dingus too).

(✨A Bonus One:✨ Not even the party knows about Robin being a lesbian, it’s just Steve and Steve only. Because of this I feel like he’s probably gotten pretty creative with changing the topic/distracting the others when they automatically assume they’re dating or when Dustin relentlessly tries to get him to ask Robin on a date.)

@the-goddamn-babysitter

#Answered Asks #Robin Headcanons #the-goddamn-babysitter #//I love them your honor! They’re each other’s best friend😭❤️ #long post #under read more for length

[storytimewithnova]

Before i get to the story you remember our past our justice well i has been updated rewitten and a new title so enjoy this one

The Past We Share, The Justice We Seek

Lev's narrative: Grace Field, our home, our sanctuary, that's where we all lived, grew up, and felt like we belonged. Belonged, huh? That's what blinded us to the true nature, the true horror of our so-called home.

Originally meant to be an orphanage, a safe haven for children to thrive, be happy, be normal, and make friends, even become a family until they got adopted and sent to new families to live new lives. But when Emma (Hinata) and Norman (Lev) found out the truth about the place they once called home, they couldn't wait to escape with the others. So they went to Ray (Kuroo) to tell him and come up with a plan to bust everyone out before they became demon food, like poor Conny and maybe others.

Now, years have passed, four years later to be exact, with new looks and identities, they are trying to find each other again.

With Hinata:

Hinata was in a wooded area near his home, where he had created a little memorial site. Today was the day he mourned the loss of everyone from Grace Field and asked them to guide him to Norman and Ray. He had skipped volleyball practice to visit the site and started talking, "Hey, Conny, hey, everyone, please. I know you're watching. I know I should have done something sooner. I know I should have done more to protect you guys, and I'm sorry. But please, let me ask you this favor, just one more favor. Now, please lead me to Norman and Ray. Please, I want Ray back. That's all I ask."

Meanwhile, in a wooded area in Tokyo with Kuroo and Lev:

Norman: "Hey, guys, it's Norman. Please, we should have saved you. We are sorry, and it's a guilt I am going to carry with me forever. But please, Conny, if you are listening, please lead me to Ray and Emma, please."

Kuroo: "Norman, is that you? It's Ray."

Lev: "Ray, is that really you? Wait, Captain, you're Ray. Lev, you're Norman. Show our necks."

Kuroo: "Yeah, that will make it more real and believable that I've found you."

They wiped off their makeup and stared in shock and joy until Lev said, "Norman, you've been by me this whole time."

Ray: "Guess I have. Good to see you, Norman. But how did you escape? We were led to believe you died. Well, that's what Isabelle said."

Norman: "Is that woman ever going to stop being a lying bitch?"

Ray: "Nope, it's her specialty. Don't worry, Emma, we'll find you next. Please, one of our siblings, send up a sign that she's alive. I want her back."

In this AU, Shoyo doesn't go to Karasuno; he goes to Fukurodani. His volleyball partner is Akaashi, although Akaashi has a small crush on Shoyo but also likes Bokuto. He knows Hinata is waiting for someone to find him again and has promised not to get in the way.

Meanwhile, with Kuroo and Lev:

"So, Ray, have you found Emma yet?"

"Sadly, not yet. But that doesn't mean I'm going to quit on her, before you start thinking I am."

"Why were you willing to quit when we were younger, by setting yourself on fire?"

"Will you let that go, Norman? And if you must know, I just don't know where to look. Like, seriously, how many orphan kids are there with orange hair? She shouldn't be that difficult to find, right?"

"So, Ray, I'm just going to put this out there, and don't make a big deal out of it. But remember, Emma always said her body felt wrong."

"Yeah, so? Wait, are you saying what I think you are?"

"Not as dense as you act."

Meanwhile, with Hinata:

Hinata was at a wooded area near his house, where he had a little memorial site. Today was the day he mourned the loss of everyone from Grace Field and asked them to guide him to Norman and Ray. He had skipped volleyball practice to visit the site and started talking, "Hey, Conny, hey, everyone, please. I know you're watching. I know I should have done something sooner. I know I should have done more to protect you guys, and I'm sorry. But please, let me ask you this favor, just one more favor. Now, please lead me to Norman and Ray. Please, I want Ray back. That's all I ask. I just want one little clue on who they are now and if they are safe. I miss them, and I miss you guys. I will hold up my promise; I will save the other children. That's an Emma guarantee."

Meanwhile, back in the larger wooded area in Tokyo with Kuroo and Lev, this is a flashback, and Lev and Kuroo don't know they are Norman and Ray yet:

Third-person POV: "Hey, guys, it's Norman. Please, we should have saved you. We are sorry, and it's a guilt I am going to carry with me forever. But please, Conny, if you are listening, please lead me to Ray and Emma, please."

Norman suddenly hears footsteps. "Shit, it's Mom. I'm playing tag. Hide." He looks down from the tree he's hiding in and sees Kuroo and hears him.

Norman jumps out of the tree and says, "Ray, is that you really you? Wait, Captain, you're Ray. Lev, you're Norman. Let's show our necks."

They wipe off the makeup, and they stare in shock and joy until Lev says, "Norman, you've been by me this whole time."

Norman: "Guess I have. Good to see you, Norman. But how did you escape? We were led to believe you died. Well, that's what Isabelle said."

Ray: "Is that woman ever going to stop being a lying bitch?"

Norman: "Nope. It's her specialty. Don't worry, Emma; we'll find you next. Please, one of our siblings, send up a sign that she's alive. I want her back."

Back to the present, after finding each other:

"Sadly, not yet. That doesn't mean I'm going to quit on her, before you start thinking I am."

"Why were you willing to quit when we were younger, by setting yourself on fire?"

"Will you let that go, Norman? And if you must know, I just don't know where to look. Like, seriously, how many orphan kids are there with orange hair? She shouldn't be that difficult to find, right?"

"So, Ray, I'm just going to put this out there, and don't make a big deal out of it. But remember, Emma always said her body felt wrong."

"Yeah, so? Wait, are you saying what I think you are?"

"Not as dense as you act."

So, the Ultimate Trio met Lev's family and introduced themselves, told them they are going back to Grace Field House, and put an end

Kuroo, drenched in lighter fluid and holding a lit match, faced Isabelle with a fiery determination. The tension in the air was palpable as everyone watched in anticipation. Isabelle, who had been manipulating their lives for so long, now stood on the precipice of her own downfall.

Kuroo spoke again, his voice filled with anger and retribution, "Isabelle, you thought you could control us, manipulate us, and turn us into sacrifices for your demons. Well, here's a little lesson in karma." With that, he dropped the lit match, and the flames quickly caught on the soaked ground, rapidly spreading throughout Gracefield House.

As the fire engulfed the building, the demons inside were in chaos, their food supply vanishing in flames. The children who had been held captive now had a chance at freedom, and they rushed to safety.

Meanwhile, Hinata had been successfully guiding the younger kids away from the danger. He couldn't help but look back at the burning orphanage, a mixture of emotions coursing through him. The place they had once called home had now become a symbol of their escape and revenge.

Back with Kuroo, Lev, and Isabelle, the flames continued to rage. Kuroo's anger was burning as brightly as the fire itself. Isabelle, once so composed and in control, was now trembling in the face of her own demise.

Lev couldn't bear to watch any longer. He turned away from the flames and rushed to join Hinata, leaving Kuroo and Isabelle behind. He knew that their mission was complete, and it was time to ensure the safety of the other children.

Kuroo, standing amidst the roaring flames, felt a strange mix of satisfaction and emptiness. The burning orphanage was a cathartic release, a symbol of their liberation, and a punishment for the woman who had orchestrated their suffering. But as the fire danced and crackled around him, he couldn't help but think of the past, the friends they had lost, and the scars they would carry forever.

Once the flames had consumed Gracefield House and the immediate danger had passed, Kuroo rejoined Hinata and Lev, and the three of them worked together to ensure the children were safe and comforted. It was a bittersweet victory, as they knew the fight against the demons wasn't over, but for now, they had achieved a significant step toward justice and freedom.

As they looked at the children they had saved and those they would still need to rescue, they knew that the ultimate trio had become more than just a symbol of their intelligence and resourcefulness. They were now a beacon of hope for all the children who had suffered in the orphanages. Emma, Ray, and Norman, or rather, Hinata, Kuroo, and Lev, were determined to make sure no child would ever experience the horrors of Gracefield House again

With Gracefield House reduced to smoldering ruins and the children safe for the moment, the ultimate trio – Hinata, Kuroo, and Lev – had to regroup and plan their next steps. They knew that their mission was far from over. The demons and the system that had allowed these atrocities to continue still existed, and they needed to be stopped.

As the sun began to set, casting an eerie orange glow over the burnt remains of Gracefield House, the group gathered to discuss their plan of action. Alisa, Lev's sister, and her team had provided additional weaponry and support, but they needed a clear strategy to confront the demon hierarchy and put an end to the human farms.

Hinata, Kuroo, and Lev shared the information they had gathered over the years about the demons and their operations. They knew that the demon world was not a monolithic entity, and there were factions among the demons as well. They decided to exploit these divisions, hoping that it would weaken the demons' power and make them more vulnerable.

Their plan was twofold: first, they would gather as much information about the demons as possible, aiming to identify key figures and the locations of other human farms. Second, they would reach out to any sympathetic demons or potential allies within the demon society who might help them from the inside.

Alisa and her team agreed to assist in the information-gathering aspect of the plan. They would infiltrate demon society as much as possible, posing as traders or spies, and try to learn about the various demon factions and power structures. Hinata, Kuroo, and Lev, along with some of the rescued children who had special talents, would focus on finding the remaining human farms and gathering evidence against the demons.

As they embarked on their journey, their group expanded. Other siblings from the orphanage joined them, each with their own unique skills, making their team more versatile and formidable. Together, they ventured into the unknown, determined to put an end to the horrors they had experienced and to secure the safety of all the children who remained trapped.

The days turned into weeks, and the group moved stealthily through the demon world, facing numerous challenges and close calls. They encountered demons who were openly hostile and others who showed curiosity about the human world. In one instance, they discovered a faction of demons who had reservations about the human farms and were willing to cooperate.

As time went on, they managed to gather more information about the demons, their hierarchies, and the locations of human farms. They also made contact with other demons sympathetic to their cause, who shared their belief in ending the cruelty of the human farms.

It was during one such meeting with sympathetic demons that they heard of a powerful figure, a queen among the demons, who was rumored to have a particular interest in the human farms. This queen was known for her cruelty but was also seen as a potential target. If they could reach her, they might have a chance to strike a significant blow against the demons' control over the human farms.

The ultimate trio and their allies knew they had a long and treacherous journey ahead. But their determination to bring justice and freedom to the oppressed children was unwavering. The time for retribution was drawing near, and the battle against the demons was about to reach its climax.

The group continued their journey deeper into the demon world, making allies and gathering crucial information along the way. They knew that their ultimate goal was to confront the powerful queen among the demons who had a vested interest in the human farms. She was the key to dismantling the system that had plagued them for so long.

With each new piece of information, the group felt a growing sense of urgency. They uncovered the locations of several more human farms, and thanks to the efforts of Alisa and her team, they learned about the internal politics of the demon society.

Hinata, Kuroo, and Lev made contact with sympathetic demons who were willing to help them. These demons saw the cruelty of their society and were willing to provide inside information on the queen's activities and whereabouts. It became clear that the queen's involvement in the human farms was driven by her desire for power, and there were demon factions who resented her for it.

As they closed in on the queen's location, the group decided to reach out to these disgruntled demon factions. They believed that a coordinated effort from within the demon society, combined with their own determination and newfound allies, would be the best chance to bring down the queen and disrupt the human farms.

The group's strategy was to create chaos within the demon hierarchy, sparking conflict between the queen and rival demon factions. They would gather evidence of the queen's cruelty and crimes, which could be used to turn her own people against her. By sowing discord, they hoped to weaken her power base.

The plan was set in motion, with the group and their allies infiltrating different demon factions to spread rumors and incite rivalries. They carefully gathered information that could be used as leverage, all while maintaining their own safety. The goal was to create a climate of distrust and suspicion among the demons.

Meanwhile, Hinata, Kuroo, and Lev continued to search for the queen's exact location. They knew that confronting her would be a dangerous endeavor, but it was a risk they were willing to take for the sake of the children who were still suffering in the human farms.

Eventually, the group's efforts paid off. They received a tip from a sympathetic demon about the queen's whereabouts. She was known to reside in a secluded palace, protected by loyal followers. The group knew that a direct confrontation would be risky, but they had no other choice.

With a carefully devised plan, they set out for the palace. Their allies within the demon factions provided support, helping them navigate the palace's defenses and security measures. The final showdown was imminent, and the ultimate trio, along with their allies, was ready to face the queen and bring an end to the demons' tyranny over the human farms.

The fate of the oppressed children and the outcome of their mission rested on their ability to outmaneuver the queen and her loyal followers. The battle that was about to unfold would be their most challenging yet, but they were driven by a fierce determination to secure a brighter future for all the children who had suffered in the shadows of the demon world.

The group had reached the palace, and the tension was palpable. The ultimate trio, along with their allies from the demon factions, had a clear plan in mind to confront the queen and expose her crimes. They knew that the stakes were incredibly high, and there was no turning back now.

As they infiltrated the palace grounds, they encountered the queen's loyal followers, fierce demons who were prepared to protect her at all costs. The battle that ensued was intense, with spells, weapons, and cunning tactics clashing in the grand hallways and ornate chambers of the palace.

Hinata, Kuroo, and Lev showed their true strengths in the heat of the confrontation. Their unique skills, honed by years of survival and planning, made a difference in the battle. The demon factions that had allied with them fought valiantly, driven by their own grievances against the queen and the system she represented.

The group's mission was twofold: to defeat the queen and to ensure that they gathered enough evidence of her crimes. The hope was that by exposing her tyranny, they could sway the remaining loyalists to their side and dismantle the human farms for good.

The queen, aware of the threat the intruders posed, made her stand in the heart of the palace. She wielded formidable dark magic and commanded her loyal followers to protect her. The battle was fierce, and the group faced moments of desperation, but their determination to end the suffering of the children kept them going.

During the battle, Hinata, with his exceptional agility and strategic thinking, managed to get close to the queen. He confronted her directly, demanding answers for the atrocities she had committed against the children. The queen, driven by a desire for power, was unrepentant and defiant.

But as the battle raged on, and the evidence of her crimes became undeniable, the tide began to turn. The loyalist demons, witnessing the queen's cruelty and the determination of the group, started to question their loyalty. Some switched sides, adding to the growing numbers against the queen.

As the loyalist demons turned against her, the queen found herself isolated and vulnerable. She launched a desperate final assault, but the combined efforts of Hinata, Kuroo, Lev, and their allies overwhelmed her. With the queen's defeat, the group secured the evidence they needed to expose her crimes.

With the queen incapacitated, the battle came to an end. The group gathered the evidence they had collected and prepared to leave the palace. But their mission was not complete. They knew that the fight to end the human farms and free all the captive children was far from over.

As they regrouped outside the palace, the ultimate trio and their allies prepared to confront the remaining loyalist demons and dismantle the human farms. The evidence they had gathered would be their most potent weapon in this next phase of the battle. The children who had suffered for so long depended on them, and they were determined to see their mission through to the end.

The fight was far from finished, but for the first time, they had the upper hand. The demons' hierarchy was in disarray, and their grip on the human farms was weakening. The ultimate trio's journey had brought them to this pivotal moment, where they had a real chance to bring justice and freedom to the children who had been oppressed for far too long.

With the queen defeated and evidence of her crimes in their possession, the ultimate trio and their allies regrouped outside the palace. They knew that their mission was far from over, as dismantling the human farms and ensuring the safety of all captive children was their ultimate goal.

The group faced a new challenge in dealing with the remaining loyalist demons who were still loyal to the queen. The evidence they had collected would play a crucial role in turning these demons against her and dismantling the human farm system.

The ultimate trio, along with their allies from the demon factions, began a campaign to reveal the truth about the queen's atrocities. They distributed the evidence to key demon leaders and power-brokers who were disenchanted with the queen's rule. The tide started to turn as the disgruntled demons realized the extent of the queen's cruelty.

Demon factions that had been enemies began to unite against the queen, forming a coalition aimed at dismantling the human farms and challenging her authority. The group's allies played a crucial role in navigating the complex politics of the demon world and rallying support against the queen.

As the coalition grew stronger, the ultimate trio and their allies prepared for the final assault on the human farms. They had learned the layout of the farms from the evidence they had gathered, and they developed a detailed plan to liberate the captive children.

The group, armed with their newfound allies and a sense of purpose, infiltrated the human farms with precision and stealth. Their goal was to free every child, ensuring their safety and a chance for a better future.

As they moved deeper into the farms, they encountered horrific conditions, with children living in fear and despair. The ultimate trio's message of hope and liberation inspired these children to rise up and fight for their freedom.

The liberation of the farms was a complex and dangerous operation, as they had to navigate through demon guards and traps set by the loyalist demons. However, the group's strategic thinking and determination prevailed, and they successfully freed child after child, bringing them into the fold of the growing coalition.

The liberated children, now empowered by the group's example, joined the fight against the remaining loyalist demons. The battle within the farms raged on, but the coalition's numbers continued to grow as more and more demons turned against the queen.

The climax of the battle came when the ultimate trio and their allies confronted the remaining loyalist demons and the queen's inner circle. The final showdown was a fierce and emotional battle, as the group fought not only for their own freedom but for the freedom of all the captive children.

The queen, aware of her impending defeat, attempted to use her dark magic one last time, but she was overpowered by the combined forces of the coalition. As the queen fell, her loyalist demons were left in shock, and some chose to surrender, realizing that the queen's reign had come to an end.

With the queen defeated and the human farms liberated, the ultimate trio and their allies had achieved a victory that had once seemed impossible. The children who had suffered for so long were finally free, and the demon world was forever changed.

The group's mission was a success, and they had dismantled the cruel system that had enslaved them for years. They returned to the human world with the liberated children, where they could finally live in peace and safety, away from the shadows of the demon world.

The ultimate trio, Hinata, Kuroo, and Lev, had fulfilled their promise to protect and save their fellow children, and in doing so, they had brought about a brighter future for all. Their journey had been long and challenging, but their determination and courage had prevailed, proving that even in the darkest of circumstances, hope and justice could triumph.

The ultimate trio, Hinata, Kuroo, and Lev, stood together with the liberated children, their faces marked by the trials they had endured. The weight of their shared experiences, sacrifices, and victories hung in the air. It was a moment of profound relief and realization of their hard-fought success.

As they gazed at the horizon, the group knew that their journey was far from over. The world was forever changed by their actions, but there were still many challenges ahead. Reintegrating the liberated children into the human world and helping them heal from the trauma of their captivity was a priority. The ultimate trio, now heroes of their own story, pledged to support and guide the children on their path to recovery.

The demon world, too, was left in a state of upheaval and transformation. The coalition of demons who had turned against the queen faced the daunting task of establishing a new order that would ensure peace and equality among their kind. The ultimate trio offered their assistance, knowing that their unique perspective could help bridge the gap between humans and demons.

Back in the human world, the ultimate trio found themselves returning to their daily lives. They continued their studies, volleyball practice, and the pursuit of their dreams, but with a newfound sense of purpose. Their bond, forged through years of adversity, remained unbreakable.

In the end, the ultimate trio's story was one of resilience, hope, and the enduring power of friendship. They had faced unimaginable challenges, but they had also discovered their own strength and the capacity to change the world for the better. Their journey had left an indelible mark on both the human and demon worlds, a testament to the unyielding spirit of those who refused to accept a dark fate.

And so, the ultimate trio continued to write their story, one chapter at a time, embarking on new adventures, facing new challenges, and making the most of the second chance they had fought so hard to achieve. They knew that the future held uncertainty, but they faced it with unwavering determination and the belief that together, they could overcome anything.

#haikyuu #hIkyuu x tpn #angst #the ultimate trio

[echoalyssa]

Page 250 ~Part 2~

You and the rest of the immunes had made it home. The immunes had settled on 'The Valley' as the name for your new safe haven. The Gladers frequently referred to it as the Glade, because that was the last place that everyone had been together. A name that showed remembrance to those that were no longer here with you.

So many had been lost. Alby. Chuck. Winston. Teresa. Newt.

Alby. Alby had used himself as a sacrifice to save the other Gladers. He'd been the leader, the first one in the glade the first to survive the changing. He had been like your brother... no, he was your brother.

Chuck. Chuck was just an innocent child, the light of the glade. The youngest glade. You pictured his face now, brown curly hair, trusting eye. He had kept everyone hoping. Chuck deserved to be here.

Winston. You weren't best friends with him but you'd talked, gotten to know each other. Thomas had explained his death to you and it saddened you immensely. He should be here.

Teresa. Even through the betraying, her misleading, she'd been your best friend. She was just trying to do what she thought was right. Teresa had saved Thomas and you would forever owe her for that. You'd never gotten to say goodbye...

Newt. Newt deserved to be here the most. He'd led everyone through the maze, through the scorch. And WICKED had just snatched him from your grasp. Sprung on him that he had The Flare. Newt had never shown fear, put others first before himself when he was turning. He had always been strong, for you. Now he was gone...

Thomas wraps a comforting arm around your shoulders. "We're safe. We're here. They would all want you to be happy, for their sake."

"I love you sis." He murmurs, squeezing tighter as you begin to cry.

~~~

A year later people had finished building their own houses. Businesses had begun to tale shape and Clint and Jeff had their own little Med-jack hut. Thomas and Brenda lived together. Minho had met a girl from group B, but you still slept in his spare room, not willing to be alone.

Newt's death had taken a toll on both of you, the first couple months after his death were spent just trying to understand. Spent mostly sitting together and taking turns comforting the other when one would cry.

You still found yourself woken up in a cold sweat, the last image of him running through your brain.

"Y/N!" Thomas calls.

You sigh, knowing that he was coming to drag you out of your room.

"Y/N! Let me in!"

Very slowly you slide off of the mattress and move towards the door, twisting the knob to let your brother in.

He steps through the door, eyes assessing your state.

Thomas doesn't need to ask how you are, he already knows. Instead he starts clearing the floor of dirty clothes, opens the blinds in your room, and offers a clean change of clothes.

"Newt would want you to be happy. To be with your friends, he wouldn't want you withering away in here. Remember how much you used to love the moon? Come see it tonight, just for a little bit. I miss you."

Despite your sadness, you follow Thomas out of your bedroom and into the moonlight where the other Gladers are holding a bonfire. You sit between Thomas and Minho and let them comfort you with a jar of Gally's special drink.

~NEWT'S POV~

"Newt! Newt wake up. It's okay. You're alive." It's a woman's voice.

The next voice is a man's. "WICKED left a chip in your brain. We managed to extract it but you never had The Flare. WICKED simply controlled your health. It was another variable to see how the others would react."

The woman speaks again, "WICKED used the implant to cause you pain, it simulated The Flare. It took s heavy toll on you. You've been out for months. I'm not sure that they thought you would survive, but the Flare wasn't what could kill you. Newt... You're immune."

He sits up abruptly, understanding their words but also having no clue what they meant.

"Y/N?" He finally cracks.

"Safe." The man answers. "My name is Hans, and this is my wife, Laura. As soon as we know you have recovered fully we'll activate the Flat Trans and find your friends."

#the maze runner #Thomas #dylan obrien #newt #minho #the scorch trials #the death cure #thomas brodie sangster

[queen-haq]

Fic: A Woman Scorned - Part 13

Fic: A Woman Scorned - Part 13

Pairing: Billy Russo x Reader

Rating: R for language and smut.

Words: ~3000 words.

Summary: You’ve been sleeping with Billy Russo for a few months now. Knowing his aversion to emotional commitments, you’re satisfied with your clandestine arrangement until you catch him having dinner with Dinah Madani one night. Then it finally dawns on you. It’s not that he doesn’t want to commit, he just doesn’t want to commit to *you*.

Billy may think he knows you, but he has no idea what he’s just lost...

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4  Part 5   Part 6   Part 7   Part 8   Part 9  

Part 10   Part 11   Part 12

gif credit: @bilyrusso

Part 13

It was 8 in the evening and you were still in the office. You hadn’t accomplished much work today, your mind mostly focused on Billy. You were surprised by how quickly he’d been able to make the funeral arrangements for his mother. Yesterday you had driven over to the nursing home and by the time you reached there, Carla Russo’s body had already been picked up. You’d signed a few papers for Billy and picked up the remainder of Carla’s things before you returned home. Everything of hers was packed into a small suitcase and sitting in your living room. You wanted to call him, ask him how he was and offer your support, but he seemed determined to do everything on his own when you’d talked to him last and you didn’t want to intrude.

You gave yourself a mental shake, reminding yourself to concentrate. This workday had been a wash. When you weren’t distracted by thoughts of Billy, you were putting out fires in your team. At least the personnel conflicts have been temporarily resolved, but now you needed to work on a slide deck that you’d been tasked with presenting to the executive leadership committee later in the week.

An hour later you were halfway done with your presentation when your phone rang. You glanced down at your screen to find Billy’s name on the screen. “Hi.”

“Hey.” He sounded exhausted. “You still at work?”

“Yeah. How did you know?”

There was a pause. “You give off the workaholic vibe.”

You smiled to yourself; at least he was okay enough to crack jokes. “How are you?”

“You mean am I grieving over a goddamn dead woman who preferred meth to her own fucking son?” He sighed. “No big loss. I’m fine.”

Anger and hurt saturated his voice despite his attempts to sound unaffected. Your heart hurt for him, you wished there was something you could do. “Do you need anything?”

“The funeral service is tomorrow.” A beat of silence followed. “Do you want to come?”

“Sure. What time?”

“2pm.”

“I’ll take the day off. Do you need my help with anything? Maybe I can call some of her friends?”

“When I found her she was living on the streets, barely alive but still hooked on meth. I doubt she’s got any friends.”

“What about the people in the nursing home? Maybe they want to come?”

“No, I don’t want anyone else there. Just you.”

Not liking the warmth that spread through you upon hearing his words, you reminded yourself he was probably feeling unusually vulnerable. This wasn’t typical of him.

“Do you want to come over?” he asked.

You exhaled a heavy sigh. “I would but I have so much work to do. I’ll be here for another hour at least.”

“Come over after you’re done.”

“It’ll be really late.”

“That’s fine. I can wait.”

“I can stop by my place to pick up your mom’s-.”

“No, it’s okay.”

You realized he wasn’t quite ready to go through Carla’s belongings yet.

“Bring your stuff with you.”

“Stuff?”

“Overnight bag, clothes for tomorrow, whatever.”

“Oh. You want me to stay over?”

“Yeah, might as well. We can drive over together for the service tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Despite the conversation coming to a natural end, he wasn’t hanging up. It seemed as if he was reluctant to be alone, probably because that meant dealing with the complicated emotions for his mother. You knew exactly how that felt. “If you want, I can leave now. I can work from your apartment instead of the office.”

“You’re not worried I’ll be tempted to spy on Valiant stuff?” he teased.

You smiled. “As if I’d let you see what I’m working on.”

“Guess no corporate espionage for me tonight.”

“Still going to keep you away from my laptop.”

He chuckled. “Just get here. I promise not to bug you while you work.”

“Okay. I’m leaving now.”

“See you soon.”

After you hung up, you started gathering your things together.

***

An hour later, you were at his place. When he opened the door, you immediately grew concerned at how tired he looked. Traveling back and forth from Vegas plus dealing with the news about Carla’s death within the last few hours meant he was absolutely exhausted.

“Hey,” he greeted you, smiling as he took the overnight bag from your hands.

You removed your heels while he took your bag inside his room and then made your way to his living room. While his penthouse suite was much bigger than yours, you actually didn’t like it very much. Despite the high-end finishes and the beautiful interiors - Billy had obviously hired a designer to make the place look good - it always felt very cool and inhospitable to you. It was too perfect and you always felt out of place inside the suite.

“You hungry?” he asked, coming up behind you. “I ordered dinner for you.” Arms encircling your waist, he dropped a kiss on the back of your head as he maneuvered you to the kitchen. He’d laid out the food for you on the dining table, and from the take-out containers you knew it was from one of your favourite Indian restaurants. The thoughtful gesture surprised you, you weren’t used to that from him. Noting that he’d only set the table for one, you turned around to look at him. “You’re not going to eat with me?”

“I ate already. I was starving. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” You cradled his face with one hand, your eyes roving over his beautiful face as he placed a kiss on the fleshy part of your palm. “You look exhausted. Did you even sleep?”

“No” He leaned back against the kitchen counter, weary. For a moment he closed his eyes, simply holding still, and you found yourself wrapping your arms around him in a hug. You didn’t understand why you’d even initiated the embrace – hugs were never your thing – but seeing him so beaten-down you were desperate to comfort him. He leaned into you, his body flushed against yours, and you held him tight. Stroking the nape of his neck, you placed a soft kiss on the center of his forehead. “Why don’t you take a nap while I work?”

“You don’t mind?”

You smiled up at him, running your fingers through his hair. “At least I don’t have to worry about you stealing my company secrets while you sleep.”

He smirked. “You’ll be here when I wake up?”

“Yup. Probably still working away.”

Billy grazed your temple softly before dropping a tender kiss on the tip of your nose. “Okay, but eat first.”

You nodded your head, watching after him as he sauntered out of the kitchen and disappeared down the hallway.

Sighing, you went to the sink to wash your hands before eating.

***

It was after midnight and you were still working on your slide deck when you heard Billy puttering around in the bathroom. Soon he slowly made his way towards you, dressed in a t-shirt and black boxers, his hair all messy. He yawned lazily, falling onto the other end of the couch.

“I thought you’d sleep through the night,” you remarked.

“Are you still working?” he asked.

“Almost done.” You saved the file and shut off the laptop before slipping it back inside your bag.

Suddenly he pulled you closer and you found yourself tucked underneath him on the couch as he glanced down at you from above. “You work too hard.”

You smiled up at him. “They don’t pay me the big bucks to sit there and look pretty.”

A slow, incandescent smile curved his lips. “I would. If I ran Valiant, you’d be my personal stress relief. You’d be in my office the entire time and do nothing but look pretty and service me.”

“That’s sexual harassment.”

Billy shrugged his shoulders. “Whatever. I’d make it worth your while.”

You laughed, angling up to kiss him. “Your breath is all minty fresh.”

“I brushed my teeth for you.”

“Wow. Be still my heart.”

A warm grin covered his face as he shifted down your body to nuzzle your neck. His weight was heavy as he rested atop you, but you liked the solid feel of him on you, the way you felt all safe and warm. You stroked his hair while he drew lazy circles on your chest, the silence between you two comforting.

“No one knows about her. Not Frank, not Curtis, no one.”

Those names were familiar to you because Billy had mentioned them in passing a few times. Of course he’d never shared any other info, but you being you, you’d dug around and found out more about them. You knew they’d served with Billy and he considered them his closest friends.

“When I found her three years ago, I put her in that home and forgot all about her.”

“You visited her every week,” you reminded him.

“Because I wanted her to regret abandoning me. I wanted her to see how far I’d come, I wanted to throw her mistakes in her face. But I don’t think she regretted safe-havening me, not even a bit.”

The bitter pain in his voice made your heart hurt for him.

“Maybe I should be happy she’s finally dead, or maybe I’m supposed to be sad or something.”

“How do you actually feel?”

“Nothing. I feel nothing.”

“Billy, I think that’s normal. There’s no right or wrong in this. All of your feelings are valid.”

“Even if her dying made me absolutely ecstatic? You wouldn’t think I was a fucking psychopath?”

“You are a psychopath but not because you have conflicting emotions about your terrible mother dying. You have the right to feel how you feel about her, whatever that might be.”

Eyes blazing with emotion, he hovered about you to meet your gaze. “Then what makes me a psychopath?”

You quirked your eyebrow. “The fact you want to torture my dates.”

“Not just torture, I want to kill them.” Eyes darkened, voice velvety-smooth, he covered your mouth with his and ravaged you with a kiss that left you thrumming and breathless.

“Only you’re allowed to touch me?” you asked through labored breaths.

“Yes.” His voice was a lustful rasp, his mouth leaving a heated trail as he sucked on the oh-so-sensitive corner of where your neck and shoulder intersected. Sparks of electricity ran down your spine. “Only me.”

You took his hand and guided it down your body, parting your thighs for him.

Like always, you were soon completely lost in the erotic pleasure of his mouth on you. Your legs hooked over his shoulders, your hands grabbed the back of the couch for support as he fucked you with his hands and mouth, sucking you, licking you, his tongue flicking over your clit until you were keening under him. Body arching off the couch, you moaned his name louder and louder until he drove you completely over the edge.

Then you felt a light slap on your cunt which immediately brought you back to reality. Opening your eyes, you found Billy perched between your legs, gracing you with the most wicked smile. “That’s one.” He slapped your pussy again, this time his long, lean fingers ever so slightly grazing your clit and your hips bucked, wanting more. “As promised.” His eyebrow quirked up. “Punishment.”

“Not fair,” you protested. “I’ll date who I want.”

He slapped you again, a little harder this time, but then he leaned down to place comforting kisses on the very spots he assaulted and you moaned with pleasure.

“All of you.” His tongue lapped over your clit, eyes locked with yours. “Belongs to me. I own you.”

“You don’t!” You squealed when he flipped you over unexpectedly, grabbing you by the hips so your ass was lifted of the couch. And then he squeezed your butt cheeks, biting them lightly before he started rimming you.

***

After sharing a shower the two of you were laying in his bed, your back pressed against his chest as you both stared up at the ceiling. His one hand was intertwined with yours, the other arm circled around your hips. The two of you didn’t have sex but you didn’t mind. You were both fatigued.

“I smell like you now,” you murmured, realizing the soap in his shower had left its scent on you.

“I know. I like it.” He squeezed your fingers. “I have a present for you.”

“I hope it’s not earrings again.”

He chuckled. “No, not earrings.”

“What is it then?”

“Jewelry.”

You turned back to look at him. “What? Like a necklace?”

“Something like that. Except I’m the only one who’ll see you wearing it.”

“Ah. And where is this gift?”

He kissed the top of your head. “Not here yet.”

You smiled to yourself. “People usually wait until they have the gift in hand before telling others about it.”

“I couldn’t wait. I’m excited to see you wear it.”

He stroked your hair, and your eyes grew heavy. Soon you started falling into deep slumber, feeling calm, comforted by Billy’s arms around you.

“What happened with your family?”

Your eyes flew open. Like always, any mention of your family unfurled anxiety within you. You didn’t like thinking about them letting alone discussing them. “They passed away.”

“They’re dead?”

“Yes.”

“Both of them?”

“Yes.”

He pulled you up so you were facing him now, his intoxicating gaze completely focused on you. “That day when I asked you about the pictures, you said you weren’t close to your family.”

“I meant my extended family. I don’t keep in touch with them,” you replied smoothly.

“What were your parents like?”

Irritation surged through you at his obtrusive questions but you had to remind yourself he just lost his mother. He was feeling out-of-sorts, working through his grief – even if he didn’t think so – and he was reaching out to the only person in his life that knew about his mother. “Normal.”

He simply stared at you for a long time, studying you, saying nothing. “Normal,” he repeated, finally breaking the strained silence.

You shrugged your shoulders, dropping your gaze to the base of his throat so you didn’t have to hold his piercing stare. “Yup.”

“How did they die?”

“Car accident.”

“You miss them?”

“Of course,” you lied.

He reached out to cup your face, his thumb stroking your cheek. “So you grew up with great parents, white picket fence and all that bullshit? Sounds like you had a fairytale childhood.”

“Can we talk about this tomorrow? I’m really tired.”

“Sure. I’ll add this to the list of all the other shit we’ll talk about someday.”

He sounded almost angry with you and you weren’t sure why. Before you could question him, however, he pulled you close so you were snuggled against his chest and the warmth of his body was enough to silence your brain and lull you to sleep.

***

It was a cold, crisp autumn day in New York. The outdoor service, attended by only you and Billy, was short and quick. Throughout it, he’d gripped your hand even though he’d been outwardly calm and collected. Even now as he stood a few feet away from you, impeccably dressed in a black suit, his dark eyes hidden behind a pair of aviator sunglasses as he stared out at the pond, you sensed he was a complete mess inside. You didn’t know what to say to him so you simply sat on the bench, both of you in an isolated corner of the garden. Eventually he came to sit beside you, taking your hand in his.

“I’d have given her the whole world.” His voice was filled with pain and longing as he removed his sunglasses and tucked them in the upper pocket of his suit. “I would have given her anything she ever wanted.” Billy’s eyes met yours. “If she’d just wanted me.”

You scooted closer to wrap your arms around him, breathing him in as he sunk into you. His hands caressed your back, his grip on you so tight you almost couldn’t breathe. After a while he rested his forehead against yours, his eyes holding you prisoner in front of him.

“Swear to me you’ll never leave.”

“Billy-”

“Promise me!”

“I can’t.”

“It wasn’t a fucking request, Y/N.”

You tried to pull away from him but he fisted the back of your hair, holding you in place.

The raw urgency in his voice played havoc with your emotions. If you closed your eyes, just for a moment, you could shut out all the doubts in your head and simply believe him - but you could only live the fantasy for a short moment before reality forced its way back in. “You don’t mean those words, Billy.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you don’t feel that strongly about me.”

His eyes narrowed, glaring at you with hostility. “You’re gonna tell me how I feel?”

“I’m not what you want.”

“And what do you think I want?”

You gave him a sad smile. “The best of everything. Best car, best clothes, the most beautiful women in your arms. You want all that because you need others to want what you have.”

“Is that so wrong?”

You shook your head. “No, there’s nothing wrong with that – except I don’t fit into any of those categories. You want a woman like Dinah Madani. I’m not her. So eventually this thing between us will end.”

His jaw was set in a grim line, eyes burning bright with rage. “So you have me all figured out, huh?”

“Don’t get mad. You know it’s the truth.”

He yanked you closer, crushing you against him. “It’s been me against the world for as long as I can remember. But when I look at you.” His eyes softened, mouth parting as his dark gaze roamed over your face. “I don’t feel alone anymore.”

Your heart melted. The tenuous handle you had on your self-control disintegrated completely. You closed your mouth over his, kissing him frantically as he picked you up and straddled you across his lap.

He pulled back to look at you. “You’re my home. You’re all I need.”

Part 14

A/N - As always, all of your feedback, comments, asks, likes and reblogs are deeply appreciated. They truly inspire me to keep writing, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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#billy russo x reader #billy russo #ben barnes #the punisher #billy russo imagine

[hollybollybingbong]

Albus Dumbledore is the worst.

Albus Dumbledore was written to be a hero, and that's what makes him such a good villain. Almost everyone in the Wizarding World trusted him and thought he was so incredible and amazing, but in reality, he was playing a brilliant game of chess, using them all as his pawns.

How? Let's start from the beginning with Tom Riddle.

Dumbledore first met Tom when he was eleven, and even then, you could see the warning signs. Dumbledore did too. He saw that Tom was dangerous and unstable, and Dumbledore, being Dumbledore, wanted to give him a chance at Hogwarts.

But, Dumbledore, also, being Dumbledore, was the only one who saw who Tom really was, and only "kept an annoyingly close watch on him." He saw Tom Riddle, at the age of eleven saying "I can make bad things happen to people who annoy me. I can make them hurt if I want," and did not think to do anything about it.

He said to Harry in Chamber of Secrets that, "help will be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it," yet, here we have Tom Riddle, who desperately needed help, and did not get it. Could Dumbledore have prevented Tom Riddle from becoming who he was? I'm not sure. Could he have helped him more while he was at Hogwarts? 100%

Next up, Sirius (and a bit of Remus)

One thing I never understood while reading the books was why Sirius had to spend twelve years in Azkaban when there were literally potions that forced you to tell the truth.

The truth is, unsurprisingly, Dumbledore wanted him there. By keeping Sirius in Azkaban, there was no way he could adopt Harry (who was legally his), and ruin Dumbledore's perfectly thought out plan of manipulating Harry. Dumbledore was a high-ranking member of the Wizengamot, if he managed to get Snape off, he surely could've gotten Sirius free too.

But unlike Snape, and Remus, and Hagrid, and Harry, Dumbledore couldn't use Sirius. Remus was a werewolf with no job prospects in the Wizarding World, and no Muggle qualifications either. He spent twelve years alone, as he watched his friends die or get sent to Azkaban. But then here comes Dumbledore, who gives him a job and a home when no one else would. And suddenly, Remus is loyal to Dumbledore.

Hagrid, a half-giant, was kicked out of Hogwarts in his third year for something he didn't do. But Dumbledore comes along and suddenly Hagrid has a home and job, and owes it to Dumbledore, ensuring his loyalty.

Even Snape, Dumbledore saved him from a lifetime in Azkaban prison, securing his loyalty too.

But Sirius, Sirius was different. He saw right through Dumbledore and his manipulation. He was a rebel and chose his path. A path that didn't involve Dumbledore, which is why he was stuck in Azkaban for twelve years, despite him being innocent. Because him being around would've messed up Dumbledore's plan to raise Harry to die, because there is no way in hell that Sirius would've allowed that to happen.

Finally, Harry Potter, himself.

Harry escaped death at the age of one and then was essentially kidnapped by Hagrid on Dumbledore's orders. While there's no proof, surely James and Lily would've written a will, especially considering they were living through a war with their son being the target for the greatest dark wizard of all time. I believe that Dumbledore pulled some strings (because remember, he was a member of the Wizengamot, and despite not holding the title of Minister for Magic, he was as good as, especially considering how incompetent they were), so he could be in charge of Harry's living arrangements and manipulate him further. Sirius Black was his legal guardian, being godfather and all, and yet Hagrid had "orders from Dumbledore," so he got stuck with the Dursleys.

Harry grew up in this abusive home where he was unwanted, neglected, and bullied, so when he eventually finds out about the Wizarding World, he sees it as a home, a safe haven, away from the Dursleys. He feels grateful to the Wizarding World for saving him from them. And when he has to go back at the beginning of summer, it's a reminder that it can all be taken away, so when Harry has to sacrifice himself to save the world he's come to love so much, of course, he does! Because why wouldn't he? It's his home.

Dumbledore could've left Harry with Remus, or the Weasley's, or the Longbottom's, or literally any other family, but the Dursley's made Harry easiest to manipulate.

And before anyone mentions Lily's blood wards, Dumbledore says in Order of the Phoenix: "You need return there only once a year, but as long as you can still call it home, there he cannot hurt you."

There was no reason for Harry to grow up in an abusive household, isolated from the Wizarding World, but it made Harry an easier pawn to manipulate in Dumbledore's game.

Similarly, when Harry is in school, he rewards Harry's saviour complex through house points. In Philosopher's Stone, the trio very clearly go against McGonagall's orders and put themselves in dangerous situations to 'save the day.' But instead of facing any punishment, they are rewarded via the House Cup, and Dumbledore is buying Harry's loyalty.

It's always Harry being the one to put himself into dangerous situations, never Dumbledore. Chamber of Secrets, Harry and Ginny both nearly die, but oh, thanks to Dumbledore's phoenix the day is saved! But wait, wasn't Dumbledore there the first time the Chamber was opened? Was there nobody else in the entire Wizarding World who could fix this mess, without having to rely on a twelve-year-old???

Prisoner of Azkaban. Why were Harry and Hermione the ones to rescue Sirius? Why couldn't Dumbledore do it himself? Goblet of Fire. You're telling me the 'most powerful wizard in the world' couldn't break the magical contract? In all honesty, he probably could, but he said it himself, he wanted to see what would happen. He was using Harry as bait. McGonagall seems to be the only person who cares about this poor boy's life. And then we have Order of the Phoenix. Where Dumbledore isolates himself from Harry, gets Snape to teach him Occlumency instead of doing it himself, which leads to Sirius's death, which I believe was planned (to an extent).

And at the end of Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore comes 'clean,' saying that the reason he ghosted Harry for the entire year, was because 'he cared for him too much.' That he cared more about Harry's happiness than the safety of others, that he put Harry's life above the life of innocent people. He was telling Harry, who watched his godfather die in front of him, and blamed himself for it, that him being happy would lead to the deaths of others. Dumbledore's exact quote was, "What did I care if numbers of nameless and faceless people and creatures were slaughtered in the vague future, if in the here and now you were alive, and well, and happy." And of course, Dumbledore said this, because he knows Harry has a tendency to sacrifice himself for others, and as a result, he'll choose to die when the time comes.

Dumbledore kept Harry's inevitable death from him for sixteen years, five while he was at Hogwarts. And guess what? By this point, Harry was wrapped so tightly around Dumbledore's little finger, and wouldn't say no even if he could.

Harry Potter was raised like a pig for slaughter, by a man he trusted. And this makes me so angry. Harry Potter was seventeen when he walked into the forest alone, more than willing to die. He was seventeen when he and his friends fought in a war against people twice their age. He was seventeen when he saw some of those friends for the last time, watched them die fighting a war that none of them had seen the start of.

He was fifteen when he watched his godfather die before him, and blamed himself for it. He was fourteen when he watched Cedric Diggory die at the hand of Voldemort. He was twelve when he had to fight a basilisk and Tom Riddle single-handedly while trying to save himself and eleven-year-old Ginny Weasley. He was eleven and having to find and protect the Philosopher's Stone, the first 'test' of many. He was a child battling an adult's war, with no choice in the matter.

Dumbledore manipulated them all, so he could get children to fight his battles for him.

#anti dumbledore #dumbledore bashing #dumbledore is a manipulator #i hate dumbledore #harry potter